


All Fey are Brothers

by Shyfly92



Category: Cursed (TV 2020)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, M/M, Mpreg, Past Miscarriage, Past Torture, Rape, Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:40:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 19
Words: 26,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25964506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shyfly92/pseuds/Shyfly92
Summary: After a terrible assault the weeping monk finds himself torn between the life he has been forced to live and the life he could have and the hero he could be. Especially when he discovers it’s no longer just his life he is fighting for.
Relationships: Gawain | The Green Knight & The Weeping Monk | Lancelot (Cursed), Nimue & The Weeping Monk | Lancelot (Cursed)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 104





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> He y’all, not sure if there is even an audience for this type of fic right now. This is my first time writing anything like this, so basically our beloved monk is raped by paladins at the camp before Gawains torture begins and later discovers he’s pregnant. This will not be following the series of events exactly for example the fey camp will not be raided and will remain the fey headquarters for sometime if things continue the way I have been planning. Also some potential polyamory with nimue, Lancelot and Gawain. I have a bit of the story written and a good portion planned out if there is an Interest. I wanted to read a story similar to this and couldn’t find anything so I thought the hell with it I’ll write it myself! Cheers!

He should have known better, the Red Paladins saw his fight with Gawain. Saw him fall and his power come to his aide.

Those were his thoughts as Father Carden whipped him, every lash to remind him of his years of training and repressing his nature. 

Two training paladins entered the tent.  
The monk didn’t know what else Father Carden had in mind “ You know monk this brings me no pleasure yet alas it must be done. Perhaps I have given you too much and it has made you forget what you truly are. Less than human, less than the horse shit on my boots.” Drawled Father Carden. “ But father I have taken my lashes what more can I do if I am so damned?” Begged the monk. “ You can service your Red Paladins” and with that they bent him forward and bound him face first to the wooden table. 

The next few hours passed in a bit of a blur, all he could feel was pain. The pain of the Paladins taking him so forcefully the fact that women are forbidden in the camps making them all the more ruthless, the pain of the lashes marring his back lulled him into a state of semi-conciousness. He awoke on the floor of his tent naked and filthy. The flaps of his tent were closed so he dug his hands into the earth beneath him and pushed up to his knees. The monk closed his eyes and called on the power of the hidden. He pulled just enough life from the earth to give him the strength to stand and wash. Just as he was pulling on a fresh tunic he heard screams from outside.


	2. Suffering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The monk is reflecting on his life a little in this chapter and he is starting to get the itch that he may be on the wrong side of this war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I’m going to try and update this twice a week, more if I’m feeling inspired. The next chapter will be longer and will most likely go up Saturday night. I’m open to any ideas or your thoughts on the concept I have of this story and most of all I hope you enjoy!

He pulled on his cloak and slowly made his way to the mouth of the tent and saw the sun was beginning to set, he must have been unconscious for well over 12 hours and his body felt every bit of it. The screams were coming from brother Salts tent, Gawain's torture had undoubtedly begun and a heaviness settles in his chest. It has been a long while since he himself has had such intense punishment from Father Carden, The last time he had still been a teenager and not skilled enough to hide The side effects of what he was.

He was sword training with some of the other higher level Paladins and a particularly ruthless one named Brother Kane had come for him full force slicing open his shoulder and knocking him to the ground when he had inadvertently caused vines to shoot up and wrap t hemselves around Kane's legs in his distress. It had broken one of Kane's ankles, Father Carden was not pleased and had sent the monk to Brother Salt's tent for two days. When Salt was finished with him he could barely crawl but that didn't stop Father Carden from inflicting his own punishment on to him. It was the first time the monk had been taken in such a way he was so young and so broken he couldn't even protest, just the thought of how Father Carden's weight had felt on top of him was suffocating.

A new scream shook the monk from his thoughts the scream of a child. He pushed his way through to the middle of the camp, he reached for his sword but realized it was still in the tent. It was the fey boy, Brothers Fraser and Phillipe where dragging him in chains to where Father Carden and Wicklow stood.

"Father we found this one in Salt's tent trying to free the green knight, a fey scout I suspect." Fraser said lowly.

Father Carden grabbed at the boys face "how many are with you boy? tell us now and I promise I will let them die quickly" he threatened.

"Enough to kill you" the boy spat out.

"Double security around the perimeter, Fraser, Phillipe take the boy to salt then guard the tent." Carden shouted.

The monk stepped Forward, " He is only a Child, he is of no harm to anyone" he spoke quietly enough for only Carden and Wicklow to hear. He couldn't bare the thought of salt inflicting his menagerie of tortures on the boy.

Father Carden stepped forward and struck him “Have you not had enough teaching today Monk, embarrass me again and I will take you to my tent. Remember if I did not have use for you you would not be walking now.” He said with a guttural growl and turned around to go back into his tent.

It was then that Wicklow approached him “My, my you seem much more sentimental than I had pictured monk, perhaps the boy reminds you of someone?” He said and walked to follow father Carden.

The monk did not like his Tone in fact he didn’t like much about Wicklow, he didn’t like much about anything it would seem these days.

The monks face burned and he turned to head back to his tent when Gawain’s words from their fight rang in his ears “ How could you?” He needed to clear his head, he needed to pray but his thoughts kept drifting back to Brother Salt’s tent and the fey that resided within.


	3. All Fey are Brothers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone sorry this went up so late tonight, I know these first three chapters have kinda been just a play by play of the last two episodes with my own twist but the next chapter is going to get interesting. we will see some action and we will get to see some squirrel and Lancelot travel adventures. and it wont be very long until lancelot realizes he left camp with something extra. id love to hear any feedback or things you want to see from this story. I don't really have a plan for how long it will be so lots of room for addition to the story. next chapter should be up sometime Monday.

Two hours of praying on his knees did nothing but make him feel worse for wear. He stood slowly his back still tender and gazed out the opening of his tent. The monk felt a calling, much like what he assumed the calling of God must feel like. However it wasn’t to the church, it was to Brother Salt’s tent. To the fey boy and the horrors that awaited him there. Could he really stand by and watch as the pain of his own childhood was inflicted upon another? He had not felt such doubt since he was a youngling newly orphaned and running barefoot into the wretched arms of Father Carden. He hadn't known any better then, he was barely six years old when they raided his village.

The sun had set, the monk paced in his tent. The screams of Gawain had subsided for some time now and no new screams of the boy had rang through the air, yet the monk could not rest. His body begged for release, to sleep to let go of the tension gripping his body. The monk grabbed his broadsword and made his way towards Brother Salts tent, it was dark enough and he quick enough to move through the camp unnoticed. There were three Red Paladins at the mouth of the tent so he walked around and cut a slit in the back. Pressing his ear through the opening in the tent he could hear nothing but ragged breathing. He stepped inside and the scent of blood filled his nostrils, blood and iron. Gawain was there belted to the chair and looked to be covered in more blood than skin.

The monk expected no less of Salt, when Gawain stirred he took a step back. “Go on get a better look Ashborn, I won’t bite.” Gawain said almost defeatedly.

“How... how do you know what I am?” Asked the monk unable to keep the surprise from his voice.

“My father, he was a traveler and saw many fey clans and villages in his time. The last of your people, they were slaughtered just before he died. He always spoke so highly of the Ash folk and their compassion, their weeping eyes.” he spoke softly.

The monk felt heat rising in his cheeks, he had forgotten long ago about his people, left them and their ashes behind to cleanse himself of his tainted blood. “The pain it will cleanse you, your blood is spoiled and will be purified through the church” spoke the monk, the words felt hollow like they didn’t belong to him.

“Who did this to you brother? Who turned you away from your own kind?” Gawain let out with a sob. 

“You are not my brother” the monk said harshly turning away from him and scanning the tent for the boy.

From behind him he heard Gawain begin to speak again “All fey are brothers Monk, even those who are lost” Gawain said gently. “There is still time for you yet to make things right, do not let them twist your mind any further. I know you can feel what I am saying is true, we are akin no matter how you deeply you bury it.”

“I am not here to debate my morality knight, I’ve come for the boy, where is he?” Grunted the monk.

“There” Gawain gestured towards the left with his chin. “He’s in the trunk”.

"The trunk? What do you mean in the trunk?” The monk said a bit too loudly

“Your torturer locked him in there about an hour ago, he’s too small for any of the restraints” Gawain said.

The monk ran to the trunk and felt relief when he saw that there had been holes cut in it for ventilation. However it had iron enforcements and a heavy lock. He could try and break it with his broadsword but he would risk hurting the boy. He could hear the child breathing, slow and steady he must’ve fallen asleep.

“Of what use is he to you monk” questioned Gawain

“I do not hurt the children, I never have” it is the only leniency Father Carden has ever given me the monk sighed.

"Brother... I am Fading I may not make it to morning yet, I can see your conscious shining through as you stand weeping over a fey boy in a box. You can fight undoubtedly like nothing I have ever seen our people need you more than ever, you can be our greatest warrior, the ally that came to us when we needed him most. Things can still change for you monk, I heard your screams in tune with mine earlier this day. Love is not pain brother, it is not whippings and self hatred it is a bond an all encompassing accepting bond. we can give that to you....I promise." he trailed off eyes rolling to the back of his head.

The monk jumped from his position on the floor and pressed a hand to Gawain's chest, still breathing. All the effort of talking must have drained what energy he had left the monk thought. He was contemplating what he should do next when the decision was made for him. Paladins were making their way into the tent carrying what looked like a small chair. With their backs to him he slipped out through the slit he made earlier. Instead of making his way back to his tent he cut through to the east side of camp, towards Brother Salt's private quarters. As he arrived he noted no light coming from the tent, Brother Salt was not as young as he once was and took to bed earlier than most and as he suspected while circling the tent there was the distinct sound of the deep ragged breaths of old age.

"By God, what am I doing" the monk said aloud to himself, he was back in his tent and laying out all his weapons.

He had no plan and only a short time to come up with one, Brother Salt would be up at dawn and now that he had a torment chair the right size for the fey boy... The monk felt an uncomfortable itch across his skin at the thought. The adrenaline of the last hours were starting to wear away and his body felt so heavy. He laid down on his cot, he'd be no use to anyone if he fell unconscious an hour or so of sleep couldn't do much harm. He reached beneath his cot to the peppermint sprig that grew there plucked a few leaves and popped them in his mouth. The little plant was his greatest secret, he had grown them in every camp Father Carden had ever brought him to. If he had ever been found out they would have executed him for sure but something inside of him yearned to do it and so he had with the upmost secrecy even as a child. He supposed it was the force of the hidden trying to keep his abilities alive. It was that same little plant that gave him hope, hope that what Gawain said was true that he could atone that perhaps he wasn't the vile abomination he had been raised to believe. those were his last thoughts as he drifted into black dreamless sleep.

He woke with a start, he couldn't breathe and his tent was hot. He blinked through smoke and gathered his cloak broadsword and a few daggers before he ran from his tent. he couldn't have been asleep more than two or three hours how had the camp digressed into such chaos.

"Monk! get over here now!" Father Carden shouted somewhere on his left.

"Father what's happened?' the monk let out with a cough.

"That depraved wolf blood witch has made an attack on the camp to retrieve her green knight, half of the south side of camp is in flames. Now get out there and track her monk I want her head!" Father Carden shouted.

The monk made his way to the torture tent only to find it void of Gawain, she was sly the wolf blood witch. Her scent was there but faint, she had taken Gawain a long while before the fires had started. They probably used the fires to make the Paladins believe they were still in the camp and using the flames as a distraction, when they were really using them to distract the Paladins from following beyond the camp perimeter. A loud band startled the monk, it was the trunk. He rushed over, it had flipped over and the boy must have been thrashing inside. The monk could hear the boy sobbing within.

"Boy, stop your crying and listen to me." the monk said in a hurried whisper 

The boy quieted and said "who...who's there?"

"It is The weeping monk, now I know you have no reason to trust me but I am going to get you out of the trunk and out of the camp but I need you to stay calm. I need to get the key from Brother Salt so it is going to take a little time."

"why should I believe you your a liar!" he screamed and thrashed

"listen boy I.." but the monk was cut off

"SQUIRREL! MY NAME IS SQUIRREL YOU BASTARD!" the boy wailed.

"Squirrel, I have not lain hands to you so far on our journey have I?" the monk tried to reason

"Well no" he stammered

"Then please I am asking you to trust me, just save your energy to fight when I help you escape." the monk pleaded

"Okay but if you betray me I'm going to kill you." the boy muttered

The weeping monk took his time walking back to Father Carden's tent which miraculously was left unscathed, he took in all his surroundings mapping out what had burned and what breaks in the perimeter of camp had been made. When he approached the mouth of the tent he could hear Carden, Wicklow and Brother Salt all trying to talk over each other at once.

"....But I still have the boy, Father." Brother Salt said, silencing the other two men.

"Let me string his insides out and hang him from a pyre, send the monk out to scout a territory where they can see. let them hear his screams and watch him burn." Brother Salt growled. 

"I must admit I quite like your methods Salt, it would anger them into action without a doubt and lead them right into our armies waiting hands" drawled Wicklow.

It was then that Carden noticed the monk in the doorway, "Son what have you found of the witch?" 

"She was gone before the fires started Father, Probably a diversion to keep in the camp while they made their escape. Give me the day to prepare supplies and I can track her scent and the others with no rain I may fine her vile den by tomorrows night fall." he lied.

"That is quite a large claim monk for someone who was tucked into his cot while this camp burned to the ground" Wicklow bated.

"Enough, yes son you shall ride out when the sun goes down, do not doubt him Wicklow he lives to serve the church and we would not have found half the fey villages without him." Carden said sternly.

With that the monk left to prepare, he had half a day until sundown to figure out how to free the boy... Squirrel and to prepare his horse for a hasty escape. The supplies were easy to come by, that was something The Paladins always had plenty of with all the recruits they accumulated throughout their travels. The hard part was deciding how to deal With Brother Salt, take the keys by force or wait to see if he released the boy from the trunk before sundown.

The monk decided to wait it out, it was simple enough he set up a watch post at the maps storage hut across from Brother Salt's tent. It sat empty of all but Squirrel for the better part of the day. The monk was starting to get worried when with about an hours left of sunlight Salt entered his tent with a lesser Paladin, Brother Tobias. He would be easy to overpower if necessary but not long after entering the tent Salt sent him away. That was when the monk entered the tent.

Squirrel was bound to the small chair much as Gawain had been, threatening and insulting Brother Salt relentlessly the monk found it rather impressive how quick witted the boy could be even when his scent dripped with fear.

"Ahh my weeping brother, have you come to watch?" asked Brother Salt

He didn't have a chance to turn around before the monk slit his throat.


	4. Born in the Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two unlikely people form a bond they didn't know they needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone hope you like this chapter! I'm having so much fun writing this story, the next chapter should go up Friday night earlier if I can swing it but I work in healthcare and my schedule is a little wacky right now so I don't want to push my luck. As always your thoughts/comments are always appreciated. hope you guys have a good week!

A swing of the monks sword was all that was needed to cut the leather bindings, he pulled squirrel to his feet and motioned for him to stay silent. There seemed to be some kind of commotion going on outside of the tent, the monk took a few tentative steps towards the opening just close enough for him to see. 

Paladins we’re running and shouting in all directions lighting torches and exchanging weapons. The monk closed his eyes and relaxed his mind, focusing on all the sounds around him until he found a voice speaking in a hurried whisper “it’s the Vikings, the others say the Red Spear is here to take vengeance on Father Carden we must protect him at all costs." it was Brother Fraser who spoke.

"A second raid in less than two days, there is no way they aren't connected." the monk thought aloud.

The monk turned and knelt until he was eye level with the boy "Squirrel, did you ever hear Gawain speak of Vikings or someone called the Red Spear?" the monk asked gently

"Yeah, we had some Vikings back at our camp and Pym was with them as their healer." he scoffed at the last part.

"If I got you to a horse could you find your way back to the camp with three days supplies? the monk questioned.

" I... I think so yeah." he faltered at first then found himself and straightened his back and pushed out his small chest.

The monk stood back up, truly in awe of the child. He had such a resilience about him, a spark of fearlessness. He picked up his blade and wiped it clean before resheathing it with his other weapons. He looked around the space to see if there was anything that may be of use when he spotted the slight bow and arrows. He crossed the tent in two strides and picked them up.

"Do these belong to you?" he asked Squirrel.

"Yes! those bald bastards took them from me when I first got here." He said excitedly slinging them over his shoulder.

"Now Squirrel this is what we are going to do, My horse is packed and at the ready for you with supplies and a map of surrounding territories. The stable is about a hundred yards from here. There is raid going on in the camp, the Vikings are seeking out Father Carden, they will all be armed and ready to fight Squirrel. You may go unnoticed by them but I am a walking target, they will want to challenge me. When that happens Squirrel you must run, run to the stables find my horse and escape I will clear the way for you."The monk said seriously.

Nodding the boy asked “How will I know which is the right horse?”

“She is all black with three braids in her mane, threaded with red ribbon. Her name is Cressida and she’s the fastest horse in the camp” the monk says.

“And what about you?” Squirrel asks. 

"What do you mean?" The monk replies.

"What will happen to you? what will you do when I get to the horses?"

"Well I will be here fighting and making sure you can get away." he said frankly.

"Can't you come with me?" Squirrel asked.

"No I can’t, now listen Squirrel it is very important that you don’t worry about me, I will be fine. When we get out there you run to Cressida and you don’t look back. Ride at least till sunrise before resting. Understand?” The monk said harshly 

Squirrel nodded, with that they made their way out of the tent. The monk held the boy close, with the chaos surrounding them it proved easy to move unnoticed, the stables came into view and they were roughly fifteen paces away when Wicklow stepped into their path with ten guards at his sides. 

“What exactly do you think you are doing with that orphan monk” he spat out. 

“You don’t need him.” Growled the monk.  
  
“And why not, can’t he sniff out his own kind some type of animal? Or is that only your breed?” Said Wicklow almost gleefully.

“Squirrel go! Take cover!” The monk said drawing his blades.

"Now, now monk I am well aware of your reputation but theses are trinity guards surely you cannot match their skill." Wicklow sneered.

"Ten to one, I like my odds." The monk said with confidence.

Squirrel had done what the monk had asked of him for the most part, he ran as fast as he could to the stables and found the horse Cressida she was just as the monk described and also had supplies loaded on to her saddle. However he couldn’t help but turn around to see what was to become of the monk. He was standing there with his weapons drawn speaking with the priest, when all of a sudden the priest stepped back and he had four guards upon him squirrel stepped forward crouching behind a row of barrels and watched as the monk laid waste to the first four guards as easily as if he were slicing a loaf of bread only losing one of his swords in the process. He then began to fight two at once when a third came up behind him with a mace, swinging deep into the monks shoulder. He turned in his surprise and while killing the mace wielding guard he took a hit from another. Then all at once the other three guards surrounded him, injured it was not so difficult to disarm him. Squirrel had to turn away as they beat and cut him, “pull it together you giant baby” he told himself and just then he had an idea.

He stood and shouted “HEY THERE YOU WANKER!” and when they all turned to look at him he released his arrow. It found its mark deep in one of the guards neck. Giving the monk just enough time to pick his blades off the ground. 

He couldn't believe the boy had stayed, he didn't know whether to be angry or impressed. He was badly injured but seeing Squirrel had brought a new surge of adrenaline, he would die killing the rest of the guards to see that boy go free. He stood with his blades and by the time they turned around the monk had beheaded two with one strike. With a roar he used the last of his strength to slay the last three guards and he did but not without taking another blow to his already bloodied shoulder. When he looked around Wicklow was gone, ran off like the pitiful coward he was. The monk fell to his knees his vision was clouding when he heard clapping of hoofs on mud. "Come on get up!" squirrel was pulling and shouting at him.

"Go Squirrel, now leave me. I will only slow you down" the monk croaked.

"No! all fey are brothers, and I will leave no brother of mine behind" Squirrel shouted at him "now get up!"

And the monk did, and for the first time in his life he had felt what Gawain had described the bond, he didn't think he would have been able to get up and on Cressida's back if it weren't for Squirrel like he was pushing his own strength and will into the monks body. Squirrel pulled himself up onto the horse and tapped her with his heels "onward Cressida!" he yelped. The horse lurched forward galloping to the edge of the camp.

"Monk which way to the east?" asked the boy 

"Veer left, you will see the suns rise" he slurred and fell unconscious 

Squirrel panicked when he felt the monk go limp behind him on the horse, he slowed Cressida and tied the belt of the monks robes around them both to keep him from falling off the horse. That was when he felt the blood that coated the man, he must be more gravely injured than he thought. They will need to stop soon Squirrel thought, but he dare not try until the sunrise called them far east back to Nemos, back home.

The monk groaned, startling Squirrel as he gazed at the sun just starting to peek over the hillside ahead they had been riding all night. 

"Let me down." he groaned again

Squirrel halted Cressida and untied the belt that bound them, the monk slumped off the horse and promptly vomited into the grass before passing out again.

"Well Cressida looks like we will be camping here for the day." the boy said sliding himself off the steed.

Squirrel rolled the monk onto his side and stuffed his cloak under his head, blood soaked most of his tunic and pants so the boy set out to find a source of water. The monk had not been lying when he said how fast Cressida was, they had covered a great distance and the ample rivers and streams of the east were easy to find. There was a small stream a few yards into the tree line ahead of them. The problem was getting the monk closer too it, they didn't have the luxury of waiting around so Squirrel put his mind to work. He ended up stripping the monk of the cloak and spreading it out flat on the grass, he then rolled the monk on to it and used some of the rope binding the supplies to tie the edges of the cloak to the horse so she could drag him to the stream. It worked well enough he did feel a pang of guilt when Cressida dragged the monk over some rocks and he let out a pitiful moan.

Once he had the monk on a mossy patch by the stream he unloaded their supplies and the map they had enough food for three days four if they could hunt something. Squirrel couldn't resist eating a bright red apple to the core before setting out to washup the monk. The fruit had put him in a good mood, it had been two days since he had eaten more than mealworms and stale bread. He repacked the food into the larger of the two sacks and ripped the other into some makeshift wash rags. He had already collected some witch-hazel while he was scouting for the stream, Lenore had taught him that when the plant was crushed it helped heal cuts and scrapes he only hoped it could do some good for the monk. He peeled of the monks vest and tunic and set them in the stream to soak, squirrel's stomach turned at the sight of him.

It seemed every inch of the monk was cut the worst of it a deep wound in his right shoulder, he washed as much of the blood off as he could and mixed the witch-hazel with mud from the stream and packed all the wounds with the mixture. The only parts of the monk not covered in mud were his back and face. His back had been lashed viciously too but those wounds looked a little older and had started to heal. Squirrel then mashed an apple in-between some rocks and mixed it with water in a small metal cup from the supply pack, he brought it to the monks lips temping him to drink and he did gulping greedily. "Thanks be to the Hidden" Squirrel whispered to himself. After setting the monks clothes to dry and tying up Cressida to a tree next to the stream, he sat and leaned on the tree next to the sleeping monk and closed his own eyes for a well deserved rest.


	5. To Pass in the Twilight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The journey home.

Squirrel woke with a start, the sun was high above them it must’ve been midday by now. He moved towards the monk and watched as his chest rose and fell with his ragged breaths. He reached into one of the packs to pull out the map, it wasn’t hard to understand it was much like the ones Gawain had back at Nemos. If only he could figure out the point in which they started, there was no marker of the paladins camp. 

With the monk still unconscious Squirrel decided to take a further walk around the woods to see if he could discern any landmarks that might be on the map. He slung the bow and arrows across his back and slipped a slice of bread and cheese into his pocket as he set off. He walked for around twenty minutes before recognizing the hillside. Just beyond it was where the windmill had been burned, he pulled out the map and there it was. The hillside was called poor mans peak and travel there and over to the other side would take a day at least. Beyond the hill was flat grassland for miles, a day maybe two day trip by regular horse back to Nemos. If Cressida continued to prove herself such a fast steed Squirrel was confident they could cut that time by nearly a half. So the boy rolled up the map and headed back to their makeshift camp. The first thing that he noticed was that the monk was not in the spot he left him in, he was two yards or so away with his face down in the dirt. 

Squirrel ran to him, “blimey monk, what are you trying to do now?” He said and rolled the monk over. His eyes were barely open and he was trying to say something. Squirrel bent down beside him to hear the word “water” rasp out of the monks mouth. The boy dug through the supply sack found the tin cup and filled it at the stream shoving the monk up the best he could against the nearest tree he brought the cup to the monks lips and he took small tentative steps before stopping to say,

"Squirrel you have to leave me here, I have lost too much blood and my shoulder is broken" the monk gasped "take Cressida and ride, ride until you find home."

"I already told you no. We have healers at Nemos and we have Nimue she can do anything she can fix you." the boy said stubbornly 

"Squirrel, I don't know if I will survive that long. What if the Paladins catch up to you, I will not be able to fight them off, what will you do then?" the monk said sounding exhausted.

Squirrel took the monks appearance in before answering, he was pale far paler than any living person should be he was shirtless covered in mud and blood. It was the first time he noticed how unnaturally the monks right shoulder was drooping. He couldn't leave him, He knew that he should hate the monk he helped burn his home down to ashes but he also saved him. They didn't know he could hear them from the box in Brother Salt's tent but he could and Gawain was right 'all fey are brothers even those who are lost." The monk was changing and all that he had done the monk had never hurt Squirrel not like the others.

"I will shoot them down one by one myself." Squirrel said touching his bow.

It took all the strength the monk had to drink the mashed apple concoction the boy practically forced down his throat, he knew the boy wouldn't leave him so he went along with his wishes. They should be back on Cressida by now but the monk was so tired and in so much pain, he told squirrel to let him sleep while he packed up camp. The monk felt like he had just closed his eyes when Squirrel woke him, standing was proving to be an issue he couldn't push himself up with his right arm so he relied on the boy pulling him up while he grasped onto Cressida's saddle. They then half walked half dragged the monk to the stream to wash before addressing his shoulder. He was filthy, but whatever was in the boys magic mud had helped his lesser wounds they were slightly pink and already scabbing unfortunately it had done nothing to help his destroyed shoulder. The water revealed a deep angry red wound in his shoulder, Squirrel prepared strips of cloth covered in mashed herbs to staunch the fresh bleeding. The monk screamed as the boys small hands set to work dressing the wound. Once the monk was clean and freshly dressed it was time to sling his broken shoulder.

"Take my cloak squirrel and cut the bottom if it straight across with the knife from the pack, then fold it across and tie it under my arm and over my shoulder behind my neck. I will hold my arm in place." the monk instructed weakly

With Squirrel at the ready the monk grabbed his right arm by the elbow and lifted it into place, the pain was blinding it burned up and down his right side as if he had been impaled by an iron poker. He didn't even have the energy left to scream. By the time they were ready to mount the horse it was almost sunset. With heaving breaths from them both Squirrel dragged the monk over to Cressida, at a loss as to how he was going to help the monk on to her back when the monk spoke softly leaning into her mane "Cressida Kneel" and she did, holding on with his good hand the monk swung his leg over the horse with as much force as he could muster. Squirrel clambered on in front of him and tied the robe belt around them yet again.

"What is this for?" asked the monk tugging on the belt.

"Can't have you falling off the horse now can I monk?" said Squirrel tapping Cressida's reins

The ride was very painful and the monk half hoped he would just die soon, the boy's chances would be better with out him anyway. But at the same time he had never felt closer to anyone in his whole life, this child whos friends and family he himself had set ablaze saved him refused to leave him behind. He had fed the monk and tended his injuries. No one had been this kind to him since his parents had been alive, The monk wept silently for a time he was so lost in his own physical and mental anguish he hadn't even noticed the boy was talking.

"What.. what did you say?"

"do you have a name? like a real one?" the boy asked 

The monk took a moment to catch his breath, "Lancelot, A very long time ago my name was Lancelot."

"I like that much better than the weeping monk, before you sounded like some kind of ghost." He chortled.

"And what of you? surely your parents weren't so cruel as to name you after a animal." He asked the boy.

"They were far crueler and I like Squirrels they're fast and can climb the tallest trees." Squirrel said seriously.

"Go on, I told you my name." prodded the monk

"Fine its...Percival and I hate it." spat out the boy

"Percival is not so bad, its a strong name a knightly name even." let out the monk with a sigh

"You can sleep if you want, I managed alright when you were passed out before." "Lancelot?" Percival turned to look and the monk's eyes were already closed.

The next day and half had gone much like the first riding through the night and making camp for a few hours dunning the day. The trip over the hill was particularly hard on Lancelot he often yelped out in pain when Cressida would leap over rocks or holes in the ground. He was growing weaker by the day, when they made camp on the other side of the hill he opted to stay on Cressida hunched over her neck in fear he would be unable to remount.

"You should try and eat something." Percival said handing over the tin of water

"Fine." Lancelot said weakly draining the cup

Percival dug through the last of their rations Lancelot had been gracious in letting the boy have most of his share of the rations. All they had left now was two strips of dried meat, a large slice of bread, two hunks of cheese and a handful of green beans he had collected. He handed him a piece of the bread and a hunk of cheese, Lancelot ate it slowly as if each bite took great effort. "happy now" the monk had tried to say before swiftly turning his head to vomit everything he had tried to consume. Percival lurched forward to grab the waist of his pants to keep him from sliding off Cressida's back. That was when he noticed how warm Lancelot was it was cool day yet he felt as though his skin was on fire, there was a word Lenore had used for this. "A fever!" he thought aloud "Lancelot take off your cloak you're burning up" he shrugged off the cloak from his good shoulder and Percival saw a bright red rash blooming on the mans neck over his bad shoulder. the boy threw all their supplies back in the sack and climbed on to Cressida's back. 

"Percival what's wrong?" croaked Lancelot hoarse from heaving.

"I don't know but your getting worse and we need to get to Nemos now." yelped the boy

They rode all evening into the night, the heat of Lancelot burning into Percival's back reminding him of why they couldn't stop no matter how tired he was. The sun was breaking over the horizon when he saw it, the tree the massive old oak.

"Lancelot look! We made it, Nemos is there just ahead it wont be long now! Lancelot?" the boy yelled with joy.

He looked over his shoulder and the young mans eyes were closed his breath so shallow Percival could barely feel his chest rise at all. He turned back and tapped his heels on Cressida's sides urging her faster, he would not let Lancelot die not when they were so close to home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! our boys have finally made it to Nemos! hurray I hope you enjoyed their journey, the next update will be Tuesday morning and we will see Squirrel reunited with his people and the healers of Nemos trying to save Lancelot and the big reveal about his current condition. I love to hear from you guys about what you like about or would like to see in the story. For example I was thinking of letting Lancelot and Percival use their real names only with each other and them being okay with it because they have developed a close bond with one another. thoughts?


	6. NEMOS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time for The Weeping Monk to heal has come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone hope your having a good start to your week, so to clarify a little in my universe certain races of fey males or females can become pregnant from any pairing M/M, M/F, F/F. They have become more rare over time especially for Lancelot since he is the last of his Ash Folk tribe. As always I hope you enjoy and would love to hear any thoughts or ideas you have. next chapter should be up on Friday evening.

Percival’s arms were stiff from gripping Cressida’s reins, they were approaching the threshold of Nemos. “Halt Cressida!” The boy shouted practically throwing himself from the horse. “HELP! HELP! WE NEED A HEALER, HELP!” He yelled running through the stone lined cavern straight into Arthur. 

“Squirrel, you’re alive! What’s wrong? What’s happened to you?” Arthur asked looking the boy up and down.

“Never mind me where is Nimue? My friend he needs help he’s dying, he’s the one who saved me.” Stammered Percival. 

“Morgana come help me, the rest of you make way and fetch Yeva and the other healers.” Arthur ordered.

Arthur and Morgana followed Percival up and out the cavern to where Cressida was tethered. Lancelot was slumped forward his good arm draped down the side of the horse, Morgana reached him first and gasped.

“Arthur quickly! It’s... it’s the weeping monk!” Morgana cried out. Arthur lurched forward had on his sword and turned the monk to face him so he could see for himself.

“Wait! Please don’t hurt him! He saved my life, Gawain can tell you, he’s different now.” Percival said trying to push himself between Arthur and the monk. 

“Squirrel this man has killed thousands of your people, he deserves to rot in hell.” Arthur spat 

“That’s enough.” Came a solemn voice from behind them. It was Nimue, the boy could cry he was so happy to see her. 

Percival pushed passed Arthur and ran into her open arms, he felt okay for the first time since he left with the hunters over a week ago it felt as though it had been years.

“Arthur bring him inside now, there is much to be discussed but he must be seen by the healer first, he is one of us.” Nimue said firmly kneeling down.

“Squirrel let me look at you are you hurt? I’m so happy your home I was so worried about you” she said whilst looking him over.

But he was distracted watching Morgana and Arthur pull Lancelot off the horse, the monk let out a low moan as Arthur put him over his shoulder blood starting to creep through his tunic as the movement opened his scabbing wounds. “Be gentle with him!” Yelped the boy.  
  
“Come now squirrel I’ll see he is taken care of, there is someone waiting to see you.” Nimue said rising to her feet. 

They followed Arthur back underground and Nimue instructed Percival to go to her quarters while she saw that the monk was cared for. He reluctantly followed her orders and made his way through the crowd of fey trying to get a glimpse of the weeping monk. Arthur laid the man on the stone table Gawain normally used for resistance meetings and turned giving Nimue a disapproving look. She didn't care much for what Arthur thought at the moment, this man had brought her boy one of her last pieces of home back to her and if the things Gawain had told her since his rescue proved to be true he could be their greatest weapon. She ripped off his shirt and grimaced, he was completely ravaged brutal gashes and bruising everywhere and his skin was on fire. A dark veiny rash was creeping from his shoulder to his neck. "Blood poisoning." She said to herself.

"Pym! I need buckets of fresh water and all the clean rags you've got and by the hidden where is Yeva?" Nimue shouts.

She starts by washing him down with cool water trying to calm the heat beneath his skin, she had just started undressing his shoulder when Yeva appeared with Morgana at her heels arms laden with glass bottles and plants. Yeva stepped up to the table taking Nimue's place at his shoulder, she looked over his whole body smelled him and even brought a small drip of his blood to her lips. Nimue stepped back and let her examine him, Yeva had unknown years of experience and knowledge of all they fey. She may be terrifying but she trusted her without question. 

"The shoulder is broken and will need to be reset, infection it runs deep in his blood from the larger wound and it will need soaking to heal. The soak will aide the fever also, the babe though may be lost his body has been through too much and has nothing left to give. It Is early yet the pain would not be so great to him were it to pass." Yeva said plainly turning to face Nimue and Morgana who were both looking dumbfounded.

"You're saying the weeping monk is with child?" questioned Morgana.

"It's what I said is it not? He wont be for much longer if we stand around asking idiotic questions, fetch Arthur and Gawain we will need their strength to reset the shoulder to start." Yeva spat at her.

Percival had just reached Nimue's quarters when someone grabbed him from behind, he twisted around to see the laughing face of Gawain.

"Squirrel my boy! you're home!" he smiled and hugged the boy.

"You look so well Gawain how? I was so sure we were both dead back at that camp." said Percival.

"It was our Nimue, I was dying when she rescued me and the hidden they came to her in our hour of need and she saved me. She breathed some of her very own life back into me." Gawain said seriously. "Where is the monk Squirrel? It was he who rescued you was it not?" he questioned.

It was at that Percival felt all the fear, stress and exhaustion of the last week overtake him, tears welled in the boys eyes as he buried his head in Gawain's tunic. It was never more evident that he was just a boy in the middle of a mans war and that he had seen more in his nine years than any child ever should.

"Nimue has him, he got hurt real bad back at the camp protecting me. I tried my hardest to help him Gawain honest I did, I used everything Lenore ever taught me but it wasn't enough." he let out with a sob. 

"Dry your eyes Squirrel, you are probably the only reason he made it this far in the first place I am so proud of you. You have been braver than even some of the strongest Knights." Gawain spoke softly.

Just then Morgana ran into the room "Gawain we need you now." she said urgently.

When Gawain enters the meeting room all were quiet standing over the stone table, he approached and was taken aback by the sight that met his eyes. He had not anticipated the monk would be in such a grave condition. He put a hand on Nimue’s shoulder “how can I help?” 

“We are going to need to reset his shoulder for it to heal properly which means having you hold him down and Arthur rebreaking it, then Yeva will bind it in the proper position and we will set him in a tub of cold water with some of her herbs to draw out the infection in his wounds, Yeva said she will know more once his fever begins to break. But more importantly Gawain why didn't you tell me?" Nimue practically scolded.

"Tell you what my queen?" he asked confused.

She pulled him aside, "that the monk was with child, Yeva said its so early only a week or maybe two that it most likely will not survive." she said in a whisper only he could hear.

All at once the pieces of a grotesque picture came together in the mans mind. All the things he had overheard at the paladin camp the snide comments of the monks special punishment, the screams all made sense. "By the hidden Nimue, I didn't know." Gawain said feeling sick. She must have picked up on the change in him "what's wrong Gawain?" she asked.

He pulled her close and whispered "they did things to him in the camp Nimue, when he slipped and revealed himself Father Carden had him Severely punished. There was talk of Carden letting some of the higher paladins take him against his will, I heard his screams myself." 

Her face was grim "I will do all I can to save him, it will not be easy and getting all the others to accept him will prove even harder but I am willing to try Gawain with you by my side. No one will hurt him like that again, no fey brother left behind." she said taking Gawain's hands.

"Its time, Gawain you will need to hold him down, Pym put the leather in his mouth." Yeva ordered. 

Gawain placed one hand on the monks left shoulder and the other across his chest, Arthur was placing his hands in the proper position on his shoulder with instruction with all the stimulation the monk started to move his head back and forth. "Quickly do it now Arthur before he wakes." advised Yeva and with a crack Arthur snapped the newly healing bone. The monk wailed so loudly the stone beneath him shook, he sobbed as Yeva bound his arm but he didn't fight. Then it was time to strip and lift him into the metal tub Pym and Yeva had prepared. 

"Easy there brother" Gawain tried to soothe "the water will help there are herbs to numb a bit of the pain." 

"Whe...Where is Percival?" the monk said shivering.

"He is safe brother, I will fetch him for you once we've got you all sorted out." Gawain reassured him.

The young man nodded, he did look so very young stripped of his grim clothes and menacing broadsword. He couldn't be much older than Nimue Gawain thought as they all lifted his shivering body into the tub. He seized a little when his skin touched the water but then relaxed. Yeva place wet rags on his face and neck and told them all to leave. As Gawain approached the door she grabbed the back of his arm.

"Send the boy he asked for, send him with a few cups of broth any comfort will only do him good." Yeva said sternly. 

Gawain nodded and dropped his voice, "will you tell him of the babe? I doubt he is aware."

"Yes, but not today Nimue has told me of his unfortunate circumstances. I feel that boy has suffered enough at present, I still don't know how effective Nimue's and mine's gifts will be in healing him if he can not trigger drawing from the earths strength himself." she said grimly.

Gawain nodded again and set out to find Squirrel.


	7. The Ash Folk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, sorry this went up a little later than intended. Had one too many glasses of wine on date night with my husband lol. Will post another chapter either tomorrow or Sunday and that's where Yeva will be having the hard talk with Lancelot about his pregnancy. Hope your enjoying everything so far, any opinions on what to do with Arthurs character would be appreciated, not too sure what to do with him yet as I don't plan on using him as a love interest.

Percival carries the tray of food nervously to the meeting room, afraid that he had been summoned to say goodbye to the monk before his death. He entered the stone room and first he saw Yeva standing over the stone table sorting leaves and herbs into two separate bowls, he went to clear his throat when Yeva suddenly spoke.

”I know your here boy, the monk is there.” She said with a nod. “Take care in not getting him too excited, he needs to stay relaxed.”

Percival walked over to the metal tub, Lancelot was submerged in the murky water up to his neck with a rag across his eyes and his head tilted back. He placed the tray on the other side of the table and sat on the stool next to the tub.

“Lancelot.” He said gently lifting the rag off the mans face. His eyes opened slowly and he raised his good hand out of the water towards the boy.

“Percival, thank you.” He whispered.

Percival took his hand and squeezed it, he could already tell that the fever was starting to fade. His hand was cool and wrinkly from the water. “How are you feeling?” The boy asked quietly.

“Better” Lancelot said sliding back under the water.

“I brought you some broth and verbena water” Percival said holding up one of the tin cups and bringing it to his lips. 

The monk drank deeply from the cup of broth gasping slightly to catch his breath when he was done. They sat together like that for awhile in comfortable silence. Percival helping him drink and Lancelot complying easily after days of being unable to keep anything down. After some time and all the tin cups drained Yeva approached the tub and knelt to eye level with the monk.

“It’s time for you to come out so I can assess your infection and redress your wounds. Do you feel able to stand?” She asked the monk.

“I’m not sure, I can try.” he said weakly.

He sat as forward as faras he could in the tub and grabbed the edge with his good side, took a deep breath and tried to pull himself forward but nothing happened. His legs felt weak and jelly like and just the effort of sitting up left him panting and exhausted.

“I’m sorry” Lancelot murmured ashamed.

“Don’t be sorry boy, you’ve been through your fair share this day. I will send the youngling for assistance.” Yeva said kindly resting a hand in his shoulder.

She sent Percival to find Arthur, Gawain and Nimue. Luckily for him they were all in Nimue's Quarters but it seemed they were arguing so he waited a moment at the threshold to see if the heated discussion would end so he wouldn't have to interrupt.

"Nimue, you have to understand that it does not look good on your behalf to be housing one of the most ruthless fey mercenaries of all time!" Arthur was shouting exasperated.

"You cannot understand Arthur you are human, all fey have a bond that keep us together. Has the monk done horrible things? Of course but we also need to take into account that his mind has been poisoned against his own kind since he was a child! And the suffering he has endured just for being what he is you can never imagine!" Gawain shouted back at him.

"Suffering! what suffering aside from his prompt defeat has he ever known! Saving one fey does not diminish the thousands he has slaughtered! Even as a human I can see that." Arthur argued.

Gawain shot Nimue a look, silently asking if he should reveal the monks secrets and abuse to qualm Arthur's aggravation.

Nimue locked eyes with Gawain and said "he will find out eventually, most will I suppose."

"Arthur." Gawain started gently "the monk has been abused severely for being a fey, he has been brainwashed by the church. Even as skilled as he is, he is so broken he lets them punish him believing he deserves it, that his pain will cure his tainted blood." Arthur shifted on his feet uncomfortably. 

"I heard the worst of it when I was being held prisoner, Arthur they took that poor young man and beat him for healing himself while fighting me. Then the Paladins took him against his will to put it mildly, and now...." Gawain trailed off swallowing hard.

"Now, what?" Arthur asked.

"Now he's with child, a child conceived through a depraved act and he himself doesn't even know yet." Gawain spat "Dare I say you probably believe that is punishment for his deeds, aye Arthur? 

Arthur stood silent looking ashen. "How...how can he be with child if he is a man? "

"There are certain of our kind that either gender may carry a child, the monk is of the Ash Folk a people where this was very common. Its not seen as often anymore but then again fey children are becoming few and far between. Another reason we must treat him gently, despite this babe's parentage it will be fey as well." Gawain said softening.

It was then Nimue stood, "It does not matter where he came from or how he was raised, he is with us now. He saved my Squirrel that is enough to pardon him for life in my book. He is fey and we will make the others understand or they can leave. Not to mention that he knows all of the Paladin's secrets and strategies so nothing will happen to him not whilst I am breathing." Nimue said seriously.

Squirrel sucked in a breath, shocked at what he just heard. They were all quiet for a moment so he took the opportunity to knock.

"Come in." said Nimue

"Nimue, Yeva sent me to fetch you all she needs help moving Lancelot... I mean the monk." the boy spoke looking at the ground.

"Very well." she said "Come on men lets go, that means you too Squirrel I'm sure we will need all the help we can get." she said ruffling his hair.  


They reached the meeting room and Pym and Morgana were already there with Yeva coating strips of cloth in some kind of deep green salve and lying them in a basket, Yeva had a robe and drying rags lain out on the table for when they took the monk out of the tub. He looked so small in the tin tub, the smell of metal and blood filling the small room. Nimue's heart hurt thinking of all the monk and Squirrel had been through, she couldn't help but smile though when she saw the boy rush over to the man and take his hand reassuring him more help was here. Noticing their entrance Yeva approached Nimue.

"I have a few concerns." Yeva voiced sternly.

"He cannot stay in here, there is not proper accommodations for the sick and he cannot be put in the infirmary with the others incase someone decides they want to enact vengeance on him." Yeva continued "he cannot be moved once I dress his wounds and he will be bedridden for some days not to mention what will happen regarding the babe is still unknown. 

"Bring him to my quarters, there is only one way in or out and your quarters are close enough you won't be far if you're needed quickly." Nimue said.

Yeva nodded approvingly "very well then, now then we will need to lift him out of the water dry him and robe him to protect his modesty, once that's done Pym and Morgana will clear a pathway to Nimue's quarters. Once he is there and comfortable I will dress his wounds and he will need no disturbance except for the boy tending to his meals." Yeva said with a nod to Squirrel.

And so it went, Gawain and Arthur lifted Lancelot gently as they could from the tub while the women dried and robed him. Nimue then left to prepare the bed in her quarters while Pym and Morgana ushered away any prying eyes. Squirrel led the way carrying all of Yeva's supplies as Arthur and Gawain carried a freshly unconscious monk to Nimue's bed. Once he was settled Yeva sent them all away once again so she could undress him and tend to his wounds.


	8. All Life is Precious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter should be up Monday or Wednesday.

The Weeping Monk slipped in and out of consciousness for three days, it took two more soaks in the tin tub to draw out the rest of the blood poisoning and so much of Yeva's stored herbs for his wound salve that she had to send Morgana on a quest to acquire more. Percival and Nimue were beside him day and night while Arthur and Gawain handled transports of new fey and the few Paladin scouts that had managed to get a little too close to their borders. Nimue was incredibly proud of her Squirrel, he was so tentative to the monk. No doubt what they had been through was the source of their bond, watching him fuss over how much the monk ate and drank warmed Nimue to the tips of her toes. He would make an excellent example to lead by when they finally addressed the rest of the resistance about their controversial new ally. If a boy as young and distrustful as Squirrel was could open his arms to the monk surely so could they. On the evening of the third day Lancelot woke, jerking his left arm up in an attempt to lift himself off the bed.

"Squirrel, fetch Yeva and more verbena water now!" Nimue ordered rushing from her chair to the monks side.

"Easy now monk, you are safe." she soothed pressing him down onto the sheepskin bed covering beneath him. 

His breaths came quick and panicked but he stayed on the bed, "Where am I and who...who are you?" he asked his voice hoarse from lack of use.

"My name is Nimue and you are in my quarters at the base of the fey resistance." she said gently kneeling to his eye level. 

"You, you're the wolf blood witch." he stammered.

"Yes but I prefer Nimue, are you in any pain?" she asked him

"My shoulder, it had to be rebroken I'm guessing?" he said reaching over to palm the bandages wincing.

"Yes, you also had blood poisoning. When we rebroke your shoulder more of the toxic blood had released into your system so our healer she had to draw the bad blood out of you with a special soak, it took a few times doing but eventually she got it all out while leaving the clean blood behind." Nimue explained

"And it was some of my best work." Yeva added entering the room.

"Now boy let me have a look at you." she said wiping her hands off on to a rag attached to her belt.

She felt for signs of fever, checked the clarity of his eyes and his pulse on the side of his broken shoulder to make sure it was getting adequate blood flow. Then Yeva removed a few of his bandages checked the scabbing wounds beneath and replaced them. once she felt he looked well enough she called Nimue over to help sit him up.

"Do you feel up for a meal?" Yeva asked the monk.

"I think so." he replied weakly.

"Nimue, I've sent Percival to get a few cups of broth. If the monk can get them down and keep them down for an hour at least he can had a small piece of bread and some meat." "And you monk." she said turning to Lancelot.

"Eat and drink slowly, it has been too long since you have been fed properly and your stomach will need to adjust. I have other patients to tend to tonight but I will be back in the morning for a more thorough private exam. There is much to be discussed so rest while you can." she said with a softness around her eyes.

Just moments after Yeva left Percival stumbled into the room laden with a tray filled with a pitcher, two tin cups, a bowl of steaming hot liquid and a small basket with some bread and what smelled like lamb meat. Lancelot's mouth watered.

Percival gave the tray to Nimue and made his way over to Lancelot. "Good to see you among the living, friend." he said with a smile taking Lancelot's outstretched hand.

"I owe you my life boy." Lancelot said gravely. "And I owe you mine." replied Percival.

"Percival has been diligent about your recovery, I've never in my life seen someone fuss over every sip of broth." Nimue quipped.

Percival blushed "He needs his strength for the... I mean to heal." he corrected himself.

With that the three of them settled, Percival eyeing Lancelot with worry. Nimue had sworn him to secrecy about the babe, she said that since the monk grew up away from the folk he may not understand the signs his body was giving him especially under the stress of his injuries. So that it was very important for Yeva to talk with him first, to help him understand, heal and connect with the hidden for if he could tap into the earths power he could heal far quicker which would be best for his condition. Once the monk drained the bowl of broth and two cups of water he closed his eyes and slept for a time. Percival was whittling some new arrows for his bow when the man awoke next.

"Do you think I could try the bread and meat?" Lancelot asked gently.

Nimue smiled, "enough time has passed and you've not been sick so I suppose, yes." she said standing and bringing the small basket to his bed.

She tore small pieces of the bread and lamb and fed them to the monk, the relief in his eyes contented her. He was making a miraculous turn around, it was a true testament of Yeva's age and skill that she managed to save him and the babe. Yeva had seemed just as surprised as the rest of them that he had not yet lost it, she told Nimue that she suspected the child may have inherited more of the monks fey heritage than its human counterpart. They had made it halfway through the basket when the monk held up his hand.

"I think that's enough, I'm starting to feel a bit queasy. Thank you." he said with a huff.

"I don't know how I will ever be able to repay your kindness." Whispered the monk more to himself.

"Repay me?" Nimue said exasperated kneeling before him. "You have returned my Squirrel home to me, he is one of the last pieces of home I have left. His life is priceless to me. It is I who should be repaying you." she said gazing into the monks sorrowful eyes.

"But its my fault, I'm the reason you no longer have a home. I am a monster an abomina.." the monk tried to finish but Nimue cut him off.

"Enough, there will be none of that talk here. You are just as much a victim as the rest of us, you were a child you had no control over what they would make you become. From this day forward you will no longer be the Red Paladin's Weeping Monk, you will be a member of the fey with a proper name and together we will enact our revenge and make things in our world right again." She said standing tall reaching out for Squirrel. 

The monk could do nothing but sob throwing his arm over his face his chest rattled. Nimue stepped forward placing a hand on his arm. "easy there dear.."

"Lancelot, his name is Lancelot." interjected Squirrel.

She smiled "Rest now Lancelot, you've finally made it home." she said drawing the blanket up over him and guiding squirrel out of the room.

He woke feeling another presence in the room, his heightened senses were coming back to him it must be a good sign. He heard a rustling and turned his head to see the feathered healer approaching him. 

"Good morning boy, I heard you had a good meal last night." she said curtly.

Lancelot wasn't sure what to make of her, she must be from a very old line of fey for he had never come across anyone like her. She was small but seemed to take up so much space in the room, shuffling back and forth ringing out cloths and crushing herbs. He also noticed the metal tub in the middle of the room had been filled again and was steaming.

"We will be testing how steady you are on your feet this morning, then I will soak off some of your bandages in the tub and give you a decent wash. The others have been too squeamish I think to scrub too hard on your skin but I will not be so merciful." she said as though sensing his anticipation. 

For someone so small she was quite strong, helping him swing his stiff legs over the side of the bed handing him a knotted wooden cane and instructing him to practice sitting and standing a few times before taking any steps. His whole body felt like a piece of wood, stiff and unyielding it took him a few tries to get on his feet the first time but with Yeva at his elbow he managed. When she was satisfied she guided him a few steps toward the tub giving him a break to lean heavily on the cane every few steps. when they reached the tub she stripped him of the thin robe, and that was when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror on the opposite side of the room. He looked ghastly, his torso was laced with thick long rust colored scabs countless deep purple and black bruises. The worse of the wounds were bandaged and his shoulder was completely covered he shuddered at the thought of what it must look like. What was most jarring though was how thin he was, he had always maintained a tall and lean frame but he looked emaciated. 

"Trust me, you look miles better than when you arrived and will look better as each day passes." She said supporting him as stepped into the tub.

With Yeva's help he lowered himself into the water letting out a low moan, the warmth soothed his aching body and he let his head dip back as she stepped away to finish prepping her supplies. After a few minutes Yeva started to peel away the old bandages scrubbing with a rough cloth as she went, it was not in jest when she said she would be unmerciful. She then began to work on his shoulder he gritted his teeth as she pulled each layer away releasing more pain. 

"Your healing is starting to get better, this shoulder though will require a bit more work." she said taking the last of the bandages off and rinsing the wound.

"Nimue told me your true name is Lancelot, an old name of the Ash Folk I had known many in my time. The Ash folk and Moon Wing tribes always settled near one another, we lived in harmony for many years." she said gazing off.

"Lancelot, how much can you remember about your people? About their way of life? she questioned.

"Not much, I remember some of the foods and drinks my parents would make but mostly I remember my father teaching my brother and I how to use our tracking gift." he said quietly. "That's probably what made me seem so useful to Father Carden, I was using my gift to track my mother when they found me." 

"Well boy, I must say I have been skirting around my point. Do you know much about how your people breed? How they bring new fey into this world?" she asked frankly.

Lancelot visibly tensed, "Yes I...I am aware, why?" he asked sounding nervous.

"My dear, there is no easy way to say it. You are with child." she said as gently as she could.

Lancelot's heart felt like it dropped to the floor, all the color drained from his face and felt as though he might faint. How could she know, how could this be happening to him again. He felt panic filling his chest and his eyes went wide.

"Come back to me boy!" Yeva was calling at him pushing a cup to his lips "drink this it will help your nerves, go on." she pressed.

He drank slowly and when his breathing slowed he asked "Are you sure?"

"I have served as midwife for countless fey in my years, my skill is unquestioned." she said with confidence.

He rubbed at his eyes, "how many days have I been here? How far along?"

"By my estimate 14 days tomorrow, so the child would come in mid spring. You seem to be coping better than I had imagined." she said looking puzzled.

"This, this isn't the first time." He said in a whisper

Yeva's eyes went wide, "and what of that child?" she asked her heart fearing the reply.

"I was young, only a teenager and I didn't know what was happening at first. I had a bad day at training and Father Cardan had me punished, the next day the bleeding had started. By my guess I had been nearly to the halfway mark when I lost it." he said as fresh tears stained his face.

"Well this one is very strong, all that you had been through should have been enough for the child to be lost but it is holding on tight. I know the last few days have probably been one shock after the next for you boy but all life is precious, and this child has been given to you for a reason. And as long as you need me I will be here too assist you. I stand by the alliance our people made all those years ago." she said a single tear falling from her milky eye.

Lancelot just sobbed, sobbed for the pain he was in, for the lives he had stolen, the child he had been given and most of all for the sheer fact he was no longer alone.


	9. Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there, next chapter should be up Friday night. would love to hear any ideas or thoughts on the story so far I love writing it and I think I'm going to be in it for the long haul your comments get me excited to post it here so I look forward to hearing from y'all!

Yeva watched as the young man fell apart in front of her, all the things she had seen in life but his anguish was too much for her to bare. She had spent so much of the last years alone, seeing Lancelot had sparked feeling in her that had long passed. He gave her hope.

She reached into the tub and wrapped her arms around him gently. “Things are going to be different for you now.” She tried to soothe.

He pulled back a little. “But how? I am even more useless to you now then I was before with just my injuries.” He said sounding disgusted with himself. 

“Your knowledge of Paladin strategies and information on Wicklow and the trinity guard is all worth the while on its own. Not to mention your combat skills, you can still teach we have many willing warriors but none with your experience.” Yeva said with a serious face.

"But first we need to get you well, once you're a bit stronger there are a few things we can try to speed up the mend of that shoulder." She said pulling her arms out of the tub and giving them a shake. "Once your wounds are dressed I will also need to give you a exam to check the pregnancy." 

So she washed his face and his hair then she gave him a piece of leather to grip between his teeth and began to scrub all the dried blood and dead flesh out of his shoulder, he whined biting into the leather trying not to jerk away from her. He knew it had to be done but he was still not prepared for how the salve would burn as she spread it all over.

"I'm sorry Lancelot, I've been out of my numbing herbs for two days Morgana should be back by nightfall with my new supply." she said as she rewrapped his wound.

She stood straight and admired her work " I think we will leave the bandages off of the others, now they've had a proper clean its best for them to air out."

He was already exhausted, he groaned when Yeva approached the tub with the cane and a fresh blanket. It took two tries to get him on his feet and he leaned heavily on Yeva to get out of the tub, she draped the blanket around him and pressed the cane into his hand encouragingly. Once they finally made it to the bed Lancelot could cry he was so happy to lay down but first Yeva patted him dry and helped into a soft pair of pants and a loose tunic that opened at the front so he didn't have to move his right arm, brushed his hair then helped swing his legs up so he could lay flat. Yeva moved the edges of the tunic away from his lower abdomen and rubbed her hands together before placing one under his belly button and the other to the right of his stomach and pressed gently. 

"Now tell me if there is any pain or cramping outside of the pain from your injuries." she said moving her hands around his abdomen and hips still lightly applying pressure.

Lancelot nodded and watched as she took a small vial of oil from a bag in her robe and rubbed it on what little of his stomach skin was unmarked by cuts. She asked him to sit up and she pulled out a small ear horn and put it to his back and listened to him breathe for awhile. She laid him back down and turned to wash her hands in a basin on a small table.

"Things seem to be in all the right places, its still quite early for some of the exams I'd like to perform but I am confident all is well. However that is not to say I am not without my concerns, You need to put more weight on firstly. The babe is working hard to pull what nutrients it can from your depleted body, so once your stomach has readjusted feel free to eat as much as you'd like.” She said hands on her hips “You will need to tell me immediately if you feel any cramping or signs of distress, in a few weeks time it will have grown enough that I will be able to hear the heartbeat. I will send Nimue to bring some raspberry leaf plants here, the leaves crushed and seeped in hot water with a bit of honey do wonders for strengthening the womb.” She continued.

”Does she know? Does Nimue know about my condition?” He asked feeling dread well up in the back of his throat like bile.   
  


“Yes, Nimue and a few of her innermost circle are aware. They needed to know so they would be mindful to take extra care with you when assisting me.” Yeva said frankly. 

Lancelot shifted uncomfortably pulling the tunic closed again, never had he even imagined the turn his life had taken in the last weeks. He had broken free from the Paladins, essentially joined the fey resistance and found out he was to be a father all at once and it was dizzying. He knew that he shouldn't trust any of them, after all hundreds of their people had died at his hands but part of him felt so calm and safe here surrounded by them all. He would need help he thought running a hand down his stomach resting it in the same place Yeva had. He knew nothing of raising a child or birthing one. The miscarriage had been one of the worst times of his life, he had only found out he was pregnant a few days before. He knew the conception had happened after he broke Kane's ankle and Father Carden had defiled him. He was all alone, Cardan had him contained to his tent to endure the process with no help and he had nearly died. He had only been seventeen and his body was not ready to maintain a pregnancy. He shuddered at the memory.

Noticing his distress Yeva pushed a warm tin cup to his lips "hot verbena water, for your nerves." she said softly. "I must add that stress throughout any pregnancy is to be avoided but given your history and the times we are living in it is unavoidable, so you must take great care in giving yourself periods of rest and quiet especially as you are recovering." she said giving him a stern look.

He nodded draining the cup and settling back into the bed.

"Do not worry about the others Lancelot." she said as she turned her back to him to clean up the stone room. "We will keep the babe a secret for as long as we can and if any of the resistance have an issue they may answer to me and my bird's." she said menacingly.

"Thank you, thank you for everything Yeva." Lancelot said sleepily.

She turned and gave him a slight nod and smile before returning to her work. After a few minutes of sorting things for wash and wiping down her tools she turned to ask the young man if he wanted her to send for a tray of food but he was already fast asleep once again. She went and pulled the blankets up to his shoulders and sighed. She knew things would get so much harder before they got better.


	10. Strength

“SILENCE!” Nimue shouted from above the great room. She stood proud before her people, sword in hand she addressed them again.   
  


“I understand the last few days have brought much conflict to Nemos so let us not also forget how much we have accomplished. A successful raid returning our Green Knight to us, an alliance with Red Spear and the Vikings which lead to the disposal of Father Carden and many Red Paladins and most of all the successful defense of Nemos after so many have tried to find our location our scouts have tirelessly been working to track and eliminate all threats.” She paused contemplating her next words.

”I know many of you are displeased with my decision to allow the weeping Monk sanctuary here. I ask you to trust in me that all my actions have reason, he has done monstrous things but he is also a victim. Ripped from his village as a child by the Paladins and brainwashed to hunt his own people.” She said with disgust.

This last statement drew gasps and awe from the crowd all of them shocked to hear of the monks true heritage. Though there were still angry shouts of defiance against his presence.

"He has realized where is true alliance lies thanks to Gawain and Squirrel, his knowledge of the paladin camps and church war plans will prove to be invaluable for our future defense. I myself have fallen victim to one of his raids but I have found the strength and forgiveness in my heart to welcome him here, I hope you can do the same. I am still your sheild and your sword my people, I will protect ALL fey at any cost even the monk." Nimue said before turning to head back to her quarters to check how Yeva's examination of the monk went. 

She had made it halfway there when Arthur caught up with her.

"Wroth and his tribe are not pleased, there are whispers of an uprising." he said into Nimue's ear.

"Let them try, what power do they have against me and the sword." she scoffed.

"The point Nimue is that we are supposed to be an alliance, we are supposed to trust one another and whatever fascination you have with the monk is going against the resistance." Arthur quips at her.

"My fascination?" Nimue repeats sounding annoyed, "don't you have another raid to plan with Red Spear Arthur because I've said my peace and made my decisions now I have other matters to attend to." she said leaving him in the hall.

When she reached her quarters Squirrel was already there setting up a tray of food for Lancelot who was fast asleep. He looked so much better, his wounds still garish but freshly cleaned and color starting to return to his face gave Nimue hope. She had decided to let Lancelot keep these quarters and she was going to move into the quarters off of their meeting room later today. She still needed to find a proper place for Squirrel too, she knew he couldn't stay tucked beside her in bed forever after all he was a growing boy. She looked around for Yeva but she was nowhere to be seen. 

"Squirrel, where has Yeva gone?" She asked walking up behind the boy.

He turned to her and said "one of her birds came with a letter and she told me she had to go but would be back by nightfall for her rounds with the wounded. She also told me to bring Lancelot some foods to try and to remind him to take it slowly."

She nodded to the boy and went to sit beside the sleeping man, his rhythmic breaths soothing her. Gawain was out on a supply run and would be bringing some things Nimue had requested for Lancelot, Clothes, some blank territory maps new boots and some seeds she would bloom into raspberry plants at Yeva's request. She looked into Lancelot's peaceful face, His tear stained eyes could not mask how handsome he was and his honey brown hair hung in loose curls to his shoulders. 

Squirrel walked over and sat on the ground beside her, "do you think we should wake him?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, here switch places with me I know you have been eager to speak with him. I will go and see if Gawain has arrived yet." she said walking towards the doorway.

Once Percival had settled in the seat next to Lancelot and fixed the tray of food and drink on his other side he took the mans hand in his own and gently spoke his name until Lancelot's eyes began to flutter.

"Well good morning sleeping beauty." Percival chortled.

Lancelot smiled, "Good morning old friend."

"I've brought you some breakfast, Yeva said to eat as much as you can tolerate and she will check with you again this evening." the boy told him.

"That sounds wonderful." said Lancelot pushing himself up a little.

They sat and talked while Lancelot cleared the entire tray, Percival filling him in about all the comings and goings of Nemos and the work the resistance had been doing. He also made sure to tell him he was tending to Cressida every day taking her for at least one good long ride with Gawain in the evening to stretch her legs.

"I appreciate that very much Percival, Cressida has been my only friend until now she means quite a lot to me." Lancelot said with a yawn.

He placed a hand across his stomach and noticed the boy watching anxiously.

"Are you feeling alright Lancelot?" Percival asked.

"As well as I can be I suppose." he replied softly.

"It's okay Percival, I will hold no secrets from you if there's something you want to ask me." Lancelot told him.

"Well its just... they don't tell me much and I overheard them talking about, about you having a baby." Percival stammered.

"I will be having a baby, yes. I didn't know until I got here and Yeva told me." he told the boy.

"Are you scared?" Percival asked.

"Yes I am, but I suppose anyone bringing forth a new life is at least a little bit scared." Lancelot said with a small smile.

"I think its kind of amazing, I always wanted a little brother or sister back home." Percival said a little embarrassedly. "Nimue said you get to keep this room, she's moving closer to the meeting room and I don't know where my room will be yet, Yeva thinks I should stay in the children's quarters but I'd rather sleep outside." he said with a shrug.

Lancelot was filled with warmth at the boys words, he imagined what it might be like being able to have a life and raise a child here. He pictured Percival trailing after a little one lecturing them and he smiled. 

"Percival, would you like to share this room with me? There is plenty of space and I'm going to need quite a bit of help when the babe comes in the spring." Lancelot asked.

Percival cracked a massive grin, "I would love that, especially since Nimue snores like a drowning cow." and they both burst into laughter. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will be posting again on Sunday, I look forward to writing more father/son dynamic with Lancelot and Percival. Do you guys want to see some fey war action in the story like Lancelot being forced to fight while a bit further along in his pregnancy? also any guesses on the gender of the baby? I look forward to hearing from you guys in the comments.


	11. Healing

Gawain was eager to return after being away from camp for two days, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t worried being away from them for too long at a time. Especially now that Nimue’s power was growing and her dependence on the sword was starting to be evident and he wasn’t quite sure what it meant yet. 

So pulling up to the entrance of Nemos was a relief, he and the other men unloaded all the supplies they had gathered and started bringing them down to the cavern. He had found something special for the monk, he had retrieved all the things on Nimue’s list but when passing by a wood carvers cottage could not resist the oak rocking chair in his courtyard. He made sure to carry it to Lancelot's room himself, when he passed the threshold he was pleased to see the young man sitting up and laughing with Squirrel.

"Well good day lads." he said with a toothy grin setting down the rocking chair.

Lancelot and Percival looked up to him and smiled. Lancelot shifted a little uncomfortably before saying, 

"Hello Gawain, you are looking well." he said sheepishly.

"I have brought you a gift Lancelot." Gawain said pushing forward the chair. "I thought it could be useful once the babe arrives, I also retrieved a list of supplies for you that Nimue requested."

Lancelot blushed "I don't know how to thank you Gawain, all of you really have been so kind to me." he said reaching a hand out to the man.

Gawain took his hand and squeezed, "I meant everything I told you Lancelot, no need to thank me." 

He heard a rustling from behind him and turned, Nimue was there inspecting the other parcels he had brought. 

"You've done well Gawain, Lorne told me you found some decent blades as well?" she asked unwrapping the small parcel of seeds.

"Yes, they will need a thorough cleaning and sharpening but we gathered enough for at least ten more warriors." he said taking her in his arms placing a kiss on her forehead. 

"And by the way Squirrel, there's a surprise for you in the meadow. If you want to go take a look Nimue and I will stay with Lancelot." Gawain said secretively.

Percival looked to Lancelot and the young man gave him a nod and smile. Percival then jumped up and went to head out of the room before turning back to say, 

"Oh Nimue, you don't have to worry about finding me a room anymore, Lancelot said I could stay here with him!" he said happily trotting out of the room.

"I hope that's okay? I don't mind sharing and he, he's pretty much the best friend I have." Lancelot said a little sadly. 

Nimue smiled, she loved the friendship forged between Squirrel and Lancelot. She was surprised that Squirrel let Lancelot call him Percival, he didn't even let her call him Percival. "Whatever brings you both comfort is fine with me." she said warmly. 

Gawain and Nimue both moved to sit near the bed. 

"So tell me Lancelot how are you feeling?" Gawain said placing a hand on his knee.

"I feel better, I'm still a bit shaky on my feet but at least I don't feel like I might die anymore." he replied softly. 

"Excellent." Gawain said happily.

"Yeva was called away but should be back by nightfall so I will be here for anything you need until then. I suppose we can even start rearranging the room a bit for Squirrel to move in." Nimue said eager to get to work. 

The rest of the day went by quickly, Lancelot slept and woke to steaming hot cups of tea and plates of food which he devoured. Nimue and Gawain moved the last of her things out of the room and into her new quarters while Percival returned beaming to inform him that Gawain had brought him back a young black and white stallion named Milkweed.

"Will you help me train him to be as good as Cressida?" the boy asked with excitement.

"Of course, but I'm not sure any horse could ever be as good as my Cressida." Lancelot said teasing.

Gawain brought in a small wood framed cot and placed it on the wall opposite of Lancelot's bed and Nimue piled it with blankets and furs, she thought things were coming along nicely. She put the two stools at the end of Lancelot's bed to make room for his new rocking chair, she draped a sheepskin across the back of it and smiled. 

"Squirrel why don't you go fetch your trunk and things from the children's quarters." Nimue said as she approached where he was sitting on the edge of Lancelot's bed.

"Alright, I'm going to get my weapons from Arthur too I want to hang them on the wall." the boy said jumping up and speeding out of the room in a way only a nine year old could manage.

"It feels so good to do something so normal, don't you think Gawain? After all the chaos to complete a such mundane task is refreshing." Nimue says taking Percival's seat.

"Aye it is, feels like a glimpse of how things can be again." Gawain said with a sigh coming to stand beside Lancelot and Nimue.

"Lancelot is there anything you need? some more tea perhaps?" Gawain asked.

"I think I've had enough tea to be honest, do you think you could help me to the chamber pot?" Lancelot said flushed with embarrassment. 

"Of course." Gawain and Nimue said in unison. 

The combination of being so full and his unsteadiness left Lancelot abandoning the cane and opting to drape his left arm around Gawain's neck while Nimue stayed at his right a hand on his waist lest he needed steadying. The walk across the room felt as though it were a mile when they finally reached the chamber pot Nimue turned her head politely while Gawain held him steady, Lancelot could not contain his sigh of relief. The walk back towards the bed was easier,

"Could I sit up in the chair for a bit?" He asked.

"I don't see why not." Nimue said helping to steer him towards the rocking chair. 

Lancelot sat with a groan and rested his hand across his stomach, Nimue and Gawain sat down across from him.

"So how are you handling the news?" Nimue asked gesturing to his stomach.

"It's a bit nerve wracking, especially considering all that has happened in the last few weeks. It still doesn't exactly feel real." Lancelot said with a sigh, rubbing the skin below his navel where the little life was residing. 

"I just hope that I can be good enough, that I can change." he continued.

"My friend you already have, look at where you are and how far you've come. There is a season for everything in life, sorrow, war and so on but this is your season Lancelot, your season of hope and new beginning." Gawain said with pride. 

* * *

The next few weeks fell into a sort of routine, Yeva would wake and check on Lancelot's shoulder every morning and have breakfast with him, Percival would do his chores and have lunch with him then Gawain, Nimue and Percival would all come to have supper together. He was growing stronger everyday, he had only had one bought of additional infection in his shoulder which Yeva and Pym promptly treated, He was walking on his own and frankly was getting a bit stir crazy. Gawain had brought him a few books to occupy his time but Lancelot had gone through them in a matter of days. He understood that it was for his own safety, there had been a small uprising with a fey leader named Wroth his people were very unhappy with Lancelot's presence in Nemos there had been quite a few meetings between them when finally Nimue had brought Wroth to meet him for himself. Lancelot had spoken with the horned fey for sometime, divulging many Paladin strategies and that Father Carden had feared the Vatican had plans to overtake their crusade. Once Wroth seemed satisfied that he truly had changed his alliance he stood and shook Lancelot's hand welcoming him to the resistance.

Finding out that Father Carden had been killed had been a shock to Lancelot, so many years of emotion came to the surface as years of torment and abuse were over just like that. Nimue and Yeva had been so kind, they held him as he wept no judgement no question and he felt himself begin to heal, not just his body but his heart and his soul.

"You're up early today." Yeva said unpacking a few of her tools for her weekly exam to check the pregnancy.

"I was sick sometime around dawn." Lancelot said sounding a little worried.

"It's common around this time to have an uneasy stomach, just be sure to eat a blander diet and drink plenty of water. It can last for sometime so its important to not become dehydrated." she said reassuringly.

The exam went as usual she checked his breathing, felt along his stomach massaging in the oil as she went and checked his pulse in his wrist and neck. He was ready to sit up thinking she was finished when she gently pressed his shoulder back to the bed. She pulled out the ear horn again and pressed it to his abdomen just below his navel. He held his breath.

"Lancelot breathe, I wont be able to hear anything if you suffocate the poor babe." she chortled.

He exhaled and remained totally still, Yeva moved the horn side to side a little before going stiff a giant smile cracked on her avian face. She took a thin rubber tube with what looked like a small funnel on one end and attatched it to the ear horn. Handing the funnel end to Lancelot motioning for him to bring it to his ear, he took it with a shaking hand and listened. It took him a moment to hear it but it was there, the sweet soft thumping of his child's heart the sound brought tears to his eyes. Yeva let him sit there a long while just listening before taking the ear horn from him, "magical isn't it." she said still grinning.

He nodded wiping the tears from his eyes, "it's such a relief, to know they are really in there and safe." he said.

"Well I have even more good news for you, we will be bringing you outside today." she said lending him hand to get up from the bed.

"Really?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes, I believe you're strong enough now you can try to tap into your gift to help heal that shoulder the rest of the way." Yeva said repacking her supplies.

After Yeva all but forced some raspberry leaf tea and bread into him she called for Gawain, Nimue and Percival. They had cleared the way to the stoned hall out of Nemos for the most part. The few fey that lingered gawked at him like he was some kind of dangerous animal, he pulled at his tunic knowing that the slight curve of his belly was well hidden but feeling nervous all the same. Yeva, Nimue, Gawain and Percival walked on either side of him like his own personal guard. This, This was his tribe he thought, the people who came to his aide with open forgiving hearts who stood before their fellows protecting him now. This was his family. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should have the next chapter up in a few days. We will see the start of the poly romance between Nimue/Lancelot/Gawain next chapter also some dark sword possessed Nimue coming too.


	12. Autumn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello I would love to hear any thoughts in the comments, gonna try and post again tomorrow.

* * *

The sun was bright, brighter than he had anticipated and the air was crisp and cool he was grateful for the cloak that Nimue had draped across his shoulders. Autumn had settled in and the sunset colored trees bristled.   
  


Percival took his hand and said “someone’s waiting for you.”   
  


And surely enough Cressida was tethered to a nearby tree with a much younger stallion he could only assume was milkweed neighing and dragging her hooves across the ground excitedly. He walked over to her and nuzzled her mane, "hello old girl." he whispered stroking his hand down her neck.

"Now Lancelot, I want you to breathe deeply, feel the ground beneath your feet and connect with your power summon your connection to the hidden." Yeva instructed.

"Sometimes it helps to touch the earth for me." Nimue added.

Lancelot moved to the tree Cressida was tied to and leaned his back against it, left hand splayed across the bark at his side. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He could hear their whispers, closer than he had ever heard before, he just continued breathing and listening to them. After a few moments he felt a blooming under his skin starting in his hand moving through his whole body filling him with warmth.

Nimue watched in amazement as green creeped its way up Lancelot’s hand to his neck, she turned to Yeva who looked pleased and whispered “it’s working.” Yeva nodded and whispered back, “His gift must be very strong to present itself like this after being repressed for so long.”

He’s even breathing hitched and it was as if he was glowing from the inside for a moment before he shuddered and slid down the trunk of the tree to the ground. They were all at his side in an instant, Nimue’s hands were on either side of Lancelot’s face.

”Lancelot are you alright? How do you feel?” She asked him.

”I... I feel amazing, check my shoulder take of the sling and bandages.” He said voice shaking.

And so she did with Yeva’s help they peeled away the strips of bandages to reveal a shiny red scar but no wound, no bruising. 

“Can you move it boy?” Yeva said peering into his face from above him.

Lancelot sat forward and slowly rolled his shoulder, it cracked loudly but he did not feel anything but stiffness. He then put his arm straight out and over his head.

Nimue shrieked with excitement “Oh Lancelot this is wonderful!” She said wrapping her arms around him and placing a kiss on his lips.

They all went quiet, Lancelot looking shocked mouth hanging open. Nimue had pulled back quickly and sputtered “I’m so sorry, I just got caught up in the moment I suppose.” Heat rising in her cheeks.

"I should probably go, Arthur will be back to report on the Trinity Guard scouts soon." Nimue said smoothing her skirts and taking off.

Yeva was sporting a knowing smirk while Percival and Gawain shared both confused and concerned looks. Gawain held a hand out to Lancelot and he took it pulling himself up a little shakily. He felt as though his skin was buzzing he couldn't tell if it was from the kiss or the magic, it had been so long since he had used his abilities he was surprised they returned to him so easily. "Do I have to go back inside now?" he asked Gawain.

"No, I think it would be alright if you stayed in the fresh air awhile longer, do you agree Yeva?" Gawain asked.

"Aye, some time in the sun will do you good just be sure to rest when you return to your quarters. And I trust Squirrel will see you get a decent meal." Yeva said with a glance at Percival who nodded his head fervently.

* * *

So Lancelot and Percival spent the afternoon with the horses, Lancelot instructed the boy on proper training for the young steed. Milkweed showed promise, Lancelot noted he was of Mustang lineage and would grow to be a fine and fast horse. Percival was so excited to show him the land around camp and where Gawain had been taking him hunting, they had been out for a few hours riding that when They finally got back to the stable Lancelot began to grow weary.

"Percival, lets sit by that tree for a few moments I need to catch my breath." he said motioning towards the tree.

"Are you alright? should I fetch the others? the boy asked nervously.

Lancelot sat in the cool grass and said "I'm fine just tired, this is the most I've done in months plus the babe is taking more of my energy as it grows." placing a hand over the softening muscle of his belly.

Percival smiled at the mention of the baby, "Do you think it will be a boy or a girl?" he asked.

"I'm not sure yet, but Yeva has a device that allowed me to hear their heartbeat this morning." Lancelot said with a massive grin.

"That's amazing, I wish I could hear it too." He said plucking blades of grass out of the ground.

"Well how about next time Yeva checks on the babe you stay with me and we can ask her to give you a turn?" Lancelot proposed.

Percival looked up at him "really?"

"Yes, I'm sure Yeva wont mind." he reassured the boy.

"I think the baby is a girl." Percival said with a smile.

"What makes you think that?" Lancelot asked him.

"I had a dream about it, it was us and a little girl no taller than my knee and we were walking through an apple grove." Percival told him a little shyly.

"That sounds wonderful, I suppose we'd better start thinking of girl names then." he said with a smile.

They sat and chatted under the tree for a bit longer before Percival helped Lancelot up and they made their way back home. Percival was sure to enter the stony passageway first to make sure it was clear before whistling for Lancelot to follow.   
  


Lancelot was eager to take Yeva’s advice of a long rest and sat heavily on to the bed. He was fast asleep before Percival could finish saying that he would go and fetch some food for lunch. 

* * *

Nimue had never been so embarrassed in her life, “what on earth were you thinking?” she scolded herself. She was sitting in the meeting room, now dubbed the throne room thanks to Gawain furnishing it with a massive iron and oak chair. She was sitting in it with her head in her hands when she heard a knock in the doorway, it was Gawain.   
  


“Hello my little flower.” Gawain said teasingly.

”Oh stuff it will you.” Nimue said looking a lovely shade of crimson.

“What? There’s nothing to be ashamed of, tension and emotions have been running high between all of us these last two months.” Gawain said sidling up to her.

”And if I’m being honest, I was quite jealous... of both of you.” He said raising her chin to his and placing a soft kiss on Nimue’s lips. She blushed harder, “really?” She asked “of both of us?”

”Yes I would be lying if I said I didn’t find something about him so alluring and seeing you both together like that, well I’m sure you can imagine the effect it had on me.” Gawain admitted.   
  


“I just hope I didn’t make him uncomfortable, I mean after all he’s been through.” She trailed off.

”I’m sure he will forgive you, but in the mean time maybe I can help distract you from things.” He said with a coy smile.


	13. Merlin: Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delayed update life and such always seems to get in the way, next part will be up Friday.

It had been two weeks since Nimue attended their nightly supper’s, Lancelot would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little hurt by it. He wasn’t sure what he had done wrong since the kiss, perhaps he reacted in the wrong way he didn’t know since he had never been kissed before. He was grateful though that what happened didn’t seem to affect Gawain or Percival, they continued on with their routines occasionally accompanying him to the stables were he spent most of his time tending the horses and cleaning weapons. It was simple work and he was grateful to have something to do. Yeva was still keeping close tabs on him, monitoring the baby and making sure he napped in the afternoons. He was a few weeks away from the first quarter mark of his pregnancy, he was getting anxious to surpass the point in which he lost his first baby. Yeva was good at calming his nerves in reminding him that he could only get through each day as it came. Gawain, Percival and himself had just settled in for supper when he couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer. 

“So Gawain where is Nimue this evening?” Lancelot asked pushing food around his plate feeling to nauseous to eat.

Gawain swallowed and said “She is out tracking a Trinity scout with Arthur and Red Spear, they are hoping to track him back to his camp they should be back tomorrow.”

“Oh” Lancelot said a bit deflated. “I could have been of some assistance, tracking is one of my strongest talents I’ve been doing it since I was younger that Percival.” He grumbled. 

“I’m sure you could have, I just don’t think Nimue wanted to put you in any potential danger. I’m sure that if they are unsuccessful today she’ll turn to you for some advice on the matter.” Gawain assured him.

The rest of dinner went as usual, once everything was cleaned up Gawain asked Lancelot if he would like to accompany him on an evening walk while Percival did his nightly chores. They walked through the stone passage together, Lancelot was used to the stares from the other fey now. He was grateful that the retaliation had been settled and they didn’t look at him so much in fear as disdain. When they stepped outside the sun was hanging low, an orange sphere making the autumn trees look as though they were set ablaze.

Lancelot was thinking about taking Cressida out early after his check up with Yeva when Gawain stopped and turned to him.

“I wanted to be able to speak with you away from prying young ears.” He said with a smile.

“I hope you know that Nimue’s absence isn’t your fault, it’s entirely her own doing she’s got herself convinced that you are going to be uncomfortable with her presence now.” Gawain explained.

Lancelot felt confused, “but why?”  
  
“She feels like overstepped, especially after everything you’ve been through.” Gawain continued.

“I wish I would have said something to her after it happened but I didn’t know what to do, it was the first time anyone has kissed me.” Lancelot admitted rubbing his face in his hands.

"Are you telling me you have really never had a kiss before." Gawain said in shock.

"I know its ridiculous but every touch I've received in almost my entire life has been to inflict pain, I'm still getting used to all of this." Lancelot said throwing up his hands exasperated.

"That has to be the saddest thing I've ever heard." Gawain whispered.

When Lancelot looked back at him there were tears in his eyes and he was looking away from him, "I...I cant imagine the life you have had to lead Lancelot, there are so many wonderful things out there for you and your baby to experience. I hope you will let us all share them with you." Gawain said pulling Lancelot into a hug.

Lancelot was tense at first but soon relaxed into his arms, he smelled of suntanned skin and moss, the same sent that had made him so easy to track what felt like a lifetime ago. They stood there in the light of the sunset for sometime. When they finally pulled apart it was dark and Lancelot's legs were stiff.

"I'd better get you inside before Yeva takes my head for having you out so late and I will speak to Nimue in the morning and get her sorted out." Gawain said with a sniffle.

* * *

Percival was up far too early, Lancelot knew he was excited because Yeva finally agreed to allow the boy to stay for his exam and hear the baby. He could hear Percival puttering around the room tidying up what he could.

Without opening his eyes Lancelot rolled over and said to the boy "You know getting lots of sleep is supposed to be good for the baby Percival."

Startled Percival turned quickly and stammered "Oh I'm sorry Lancelot, did I wake you?"

"Yes but its alright, try and lay down for a bit. Yeva will not come for another hour at least." said Lancelot.

He heard Percival flop back onto his cot and tap his foot on the wooden frame until he fell asleep, when he awoke Yeva was already there a basket over her arm.

"Good morning boys, I've brought sweet bread and eggs for breakfast." she said unloading her medical tools and the food.

Lancelot covered his mouth and groaned before bolting to the chamber pot emptying the little bit of dinner he had managed to get down, Yeva approached him and laid a hand on his back rubbing in big soothing circles. When he was done she handed him a tin cup of water to rinse his mouth and helped him back to bed.

"I've brought some ginger root to help with the nausea, two slices in hot water in the morning and at night should help." she said sending Percival for a pot of hot water while she performed the first part of the exam.

"I'm very pleased with how you are progressing, the vomiting will subside you've just got to try and take it easy." she said nodding.

Percival returned and Yeva cut a few slices of ginger right into the pot to steep. She then proceeded to take out the ear horn and feel around the small swell of his belly before placinging it to the left of his navel. Yeva listened for only a moment before handing the tubed earpiece to Lancelot and gesturing Percival to come closer. The beating of his child's heart was always the highlight of his week, it proved to him that she was in there and she was safe. When he was ready he pulled Percival closer and showed him how to hold the device to his ear, the boy was still for a moment before a giant smile spread across his face. Yeva took the boys other hand and placed it on Lancelot's abdomen just above the ear horn.

"Right there feel that hard spot, that's the babe." She said smiling at him.

”This is amazing! When will she start to move?” He asked Yeva.

”Lancelot still has a few weeks before he feels his first quickening but it won’t be long after that that you will be able see the baby move from the outside of his belly.” She said Percival’s eyes going wide.

Once they were done and Lancelot was cleaned up Yeva sat him down and watched as he slowly drank the ginger tea and ate two small slices of sweet bread, only then did she let them leave to exercise the horses. Lancelot dressed and strapped his broadsword to his back, he was pleasantly surprised when Percival had brought it to him freshly sharpened and cleaned, he thought he had lost it in Father Carden's camp but Percival had managed to slip it in Cressida's pack.

It was a beautiful morning, still early enough that glittering patches of frost dusted the earth. Cressida and Milkweed were excited to see them as always, they saddled them and treated them to a few apples each before climbing upon their backs. Lancelot was coming to realize he needed to take advantage of these times with Cressida because once he was further along in his pregnancy he would not be able to ride her properly and not for sometime after the birth as well. Percival had assured him that he would tend Cressida for him and it made Lancelot feel a lot better that someone he knew was looking out for her.  
  


They raced the horses to the end of Nemos’ perimeter, Milkweed truly was shaping up to be near Cressida’s equal in speed. Once the stallion was fully grown he may even surpass her. He was just going to tell Percival they should take the hillside way back when he heard the snapping branches. He looked north and could just make out two horses speeding towards them.


	14. Merlin: Part Two

It only took Lancelot a matter of seconds to have his broadsword drawn and at the ready, as the horses drew closer he inhaled deeply tapping into his tracking senses. Sweat, blood and the unmistakable scent of coriander and lavender. Nimue Lancelot thought as he yelled for Percival to stay back as he urged Cressida forward to meet the other horses.

As he drew closer he could hear Arthur draw his own blade, Lancelot tipped his head back so his hood would fall and expose his face

"It is only I, what's happened?" he shouted pulling Cressida to a stop noticing Nimue's horse was laden with two limp bodies as they approached. 

When the horses finally slowed it was Arthur who spoke.

"There were more guards than we had prepared for, they knocked out Red Spear and we rescued a prisoner of theirs."

"Who?" Lancelot asked looking over at the figure of a man.

"My father, Merlin." Nimue said solemnly.

Before Lancelot had a chance to react he heard another set of hooves approaching he turned his head to see Percival looking precautious. 

"I have to get them in to see Yeva, Squirrel come with me I'm sure Yeva will appreciate the extra hands. Arthur are you up to checking the rest of the perimeter to make sure we weren't followed?" Nimue said with a longing glance toward Lancelot.

"Yes, better it be done now." Arthur told her.

"I could ride with you if you'd like, with my abilities I would be able to sense someone nearby long before you." Lancelot offered.

Arthur looked hesitantly towards Nimue who frowned, "I don't have time to argue, ride fast and first sign of danger head back to Nemos I will send Gawain to relieve you as soon as I can."

Both men nodded as she and Percival rode off. Arthur turned his horse and took off with out so much as a word to Lancelot, he had the distinct feeling that he made the man uncomfortable. They rode around the perimeter at a steady pace Lancelot occasionally getting down to examine a tree or a set of tracks.

Arthur cleared his throat, "I think we should head back, what ever stragglers had followed us obviously didn't make it this far."

"I'm not so sure, Trinity Guards go through an even more grievous training than I did. Their intelligence on the matter of war and strategy is immense." Lancelot said matter of fact. 

"Well nevertheless there's no one here now." and with that yet again Arthur turned his horse and headed in the direction of home.

Lancelot followed and they rode in silence. They were a hundred or so yards from the entrance of Nemos when he heard something, footsteps at least three sets.

"Arthur." Lancelot said hoping that he would notice the change in his voice.

Arthur looked at him sharply and Lancelot held up three fingers and said "no horses."

It made sense now why they had not found any signs of other trackers, they must have abandoned the horses when they realized they were on the right path. Arthur and himself had been looking for signs of horses. Arthurs back stiffened and his hand dropped to where his blade was strapped at his waist. 

"How far off?" Arthur said gritting his teeth.

"About 200 hundred feet I'd say and moving" he told him in a low voice.

"You have to go Lancelot, go and get Gawain and Nimue." Arthur said quickly. 

Lancelot didn't have a chance to reply when an arrow shot straight between them, both horses reared in surprise knocking Arthur to the ground. Lancelot drew his sword and looked around trying to focus on his senses, the archer would be farthest away guarding the other two. 

"Arthur the other two are in the tree line the archer is farther back in the woods." he barely managed to get out before a loud whistle rang through the air.

They were calling for more guards probably waiting on horseback to be summoned, just then the two footmen launched on Arthur. Lancelot charged with Cressida swinging his broadsword he managed to remove one of the guards arm and he fell to the ground screaming as Arthur continued to fight the other all the while arrows were flying. 

Lancelot removed the small shield from the back of Cressida's saddle and hooked it over his arm, it wasn't much but it would do the job. He urged the horse in the direction of the arrows, a few pinged across the shield and one grazed Cressida's back leg she whined but continued on. They reached the tree line and Lancelot could make out the guard running on foot toward him, he urged Cressida forward and then signaled her to stop short she bowed her head and Lancelot slid forward with his sword out just in time to run the charging Guard straight through the chest. He made a grotesque gurgling noise and fell to his knees, Lancelot removed his blade and was just remounting Cressida when he heard the charging of other horses. He rushed back to Arthur who was finishing off the last guard,

"There are more on horses coming four maybe five they are close, here." He said offering a hand to Arthur to join him on the steed.

He was tired, his body soft and no longer used to the adrenaline of battle. "Are you Injured?" Arthur asked nursing a cut on his collar as he climbed atop Cressida.

"No, a little rusty but not hurt." Lancelot said turning Cressida back in the direction of Nemos, Gawain had to be on his way Nimue said she would send him.

"You call that rusty?" Arthur said exsaperated. 

The entrance to Nemos was in sight when the Trinity Guards caught up with them, Arthur turned himself around so that he and Lancelot were back to back on the horse swords drawn and ready. There were four as Lancelot had predicted and they surrounded the two men, one of them looked very familiar. 

"Wicklow wants to send a message weeping monk." one of them growled. 

"There will be no mercy!" Yelled another charging.

It would seem they were lost in a sea of blades, Arthur managed to kick one off his horse upon attack and was now dueling another while Lancelot was struggling to stay on the horse trying to fend off the other two. He managed to pull a dagger out of his cloak and throw it hitting one of the guards in the side before being knocked to the ground and losing his sword. He fell hard, the shock ringing through his body. Panicked and weaponless he scuttled backwards away from the guard he had injured who looked ready to return the favor when he heard a war cry.

He looked to the left and saw Nimue running towards them her eyes ablaze and her fists wrapped around the glowing hilt of the kings sword, Gawain not far behind her. What happened next Lancelot would never forget, she charged the guard over him first decapitating him as easily as though she was moving her blade through water. She moved on cutting down the rest just as easily all while letting out a possessed sounding scream it wasn't until Gawain wrapped his arms around her from behind that she stopped slashing and stabbing the bodies.

Lancelot lay there on the ground shaken and breathing shallowly when a cramp overtook his middle, "No" he moaned. wrapping his arms around himself and letting out a cry. 

Time seemed to slow and speed up all at once for him then, Gawain had rushed to his side picking him up running back to Nemos. He brought him directly to Yeva's quarters in the tree root cave and placed him gently on the pile of pelts on the ground next to what appeared to be Nimue's father. He could hear Gawain and Yeva speaking in hurried voices as she crushed numerous herbs. But all he could think of was his baby and that he was foolish and now he was going to lose her. The pain was coming and going in waves starting in his low back and working around his middle.

"Sweetheart I need you to sit up a little and drink this, then I need you to try and stop crying to I can have a listen for baby." Yeva tried to soothe him

He raised his head and drank the foul tasting liquid, it took a few tries for him to stop crying and then falling into a fit of hiccups before Yeva could finally take a listen to his belly. She was quiet and stone faced for much longer than usual, Lancelot tried to focus on the sounds of Gawain's pacing when he noticed Yeva's shoulders relax and relief flooded her face. 

"The little trickster is in there and moving about from all the excitement it would seem." she said letting out a breath. "Now let me take a look at the rest of you."

He had bruised his back and tail bone and had been grazed by an arrow on his upper thigh, no doubt the same one that had clipped Cressida. Yeva's concoction was slowing down the cramping but she insisted he remain with her until it stopped completely and she wanted to listen in on the baby periodically for the rest of the day. He was fine with it, being so close to Yeva in case anything happened was the only thing helping him stay calm.


	15. Merlin: Part Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be up Monday or Wednesday.

Arthur sat wringing his hands outside of Yeva's quarters, he had just dropped off some trays of food and was back to feeling useless the sun had set hours ago Gawain and himself had disposed of all the bodies and signs of their battle. He couldn't believe that Lancelot had stayed to fight along side him, that he hadn't fled even just for the sake of his child. Arthur felt guilt and remorse for the things he had said and thought about the man, it was obvious that he had changed that the weeping monk was truly gone and a honest man now stood in his place. He thought to check on Nimue again but it was likely she was still asleep, she had been so enraged that after Yeva sorted out Lancelot she had to be sedated.

He stood to head back to his own room when he heard a sniffling, Arthur took a few steps forward and saw a small pair of feet poking out from a turn in the passage way.

"Squirrel?" he spoke aloud. 

Squirrel poked his head from around the wall, the boys eyes were red rimmed and wet with tears. Arthur's heart clenched at the sight, they boy had been so strong through everything he'd been through but everyone has a limit.

"Are you alright Squirrel?" Arthur asked taking a few steps in his direction.

He sniffled again "Are Lancelot and the baby going to be okay? No one will tell me anything and Nimue is still asleep." 

Arthur thought for a moment before kneeling down to speak to the boy "I know things are pretty scary right now but Yeva is doing everything to keep them safe and healthy, last I heard Lancelot's pain was almost gone and he was resting. Now I think you should spend the night in Nimue's quarters, she's going to need to see someone she loves when she wakes up."

"What if something happens?" Squirrel asked him as he stood.

"I will come and find you myself, I will stay here tonight to make sure all is well if you go and get some rest." Arthur told him making his way back to his post.

"Alright then." the boy said reluctantly turning to leave.

Arthur settled back in sitting on the floor and leaning his head against the wall, it was going to be a long night.

* * *

Lancelot had finally fallen asleep and Yeva was taking a moment to herself to rest, she had been able to halt the contractions and the babe's heartbeat remained steady. They weren't out of the woods yet but she was hopeful, she was going to have to start putting Pym and Morgana through more rigorous training Yeva simply could not be a tending midwife and emergency healer at the same time. And if she were honest she would much rather spend her time caring for Lancelot. She was just thinking of closing her eyes when Merlin sat straight up from were he lay with a loud gasp clutching his chest.

"Where am I? Where is Nimue?" he asked trying to stand but falling on shaking legs.

Yeva stood and ushered towards him before he could wake Lancelot and Gawain "Shhh, you are safe and Nimue is safe, we are in Nemos Merlin."

"Yeva, I was poisoned." he stammered opening his tunic to see an already healing mark.

"Yes you were and now your not." she said with a smirk.

"While I was unconscious I had a vision Yeva, a greater war than we could have ever imagined is coming." Merlin said in a whisper.

Yeva leaned closer to him on the floor "Merlin what did you see?"

"I was walking through a battlefield and there were mountains of dead beneath my feet but I was following a sound, the cry of an infant. I came upon a clearing where a knight in a green horned helmet stood raising a newborn above his head she was a tiny thing but she bore a cherry kiss birthmark on her right shoulder." he said looking hard into Yeva's eyes.

"A solstice born child? there hasn't been one in decades." Yeva interrupted him.

"Yes I am aware, but the knight was holding her and yelling for all to bow down before their new queen, bringer of peace and unity. And Yeva they did, all the living men and fey bowed before her together. A daughter of the summer solstice." he said shifting himself on the pelt laid out on the floor.

"A daughter of summer solstice" she spoke to herself, the words rang in Yeva's head. It couldn't be she thought to herself, that would be almost be two weeks past her estimation. But then again she had seen mothers go almost three weeks overdue before their babes came, she looked up to see that Lancelot was awake and looking at Merlin and herself with worried eyes. 

"Not just a child of solstice Merlin, a child of fey and man." she said softly, she knew it was Lancelot's child she could feel it in every ounce of her being.

"What makes you say that?" Merlin questioned.

Yeva turned her head away from Lancelot and said frankly "Because I know the child you speak of." 

* * *

Lancelot pushed himself off of Gawain who only slightly stirred at the movement, they had fallen asleep Lancelot's head in Gawain's lap as he stroked his hair in attempt to calm him. They couldn't have been asleep more than a few hours at most. When she noticed him moving she pushed herself up off the floor and made her way over to him.

"Are you in any pain dear? Can I get you some water?" Yeva asked him.

"My stomach feels sore but no pains like before, some water would be good thank you." He said hoarse from crying, he dropped a hand down softly rubbing the swell of his belly.

"Dear? My you must be very special, in nearly eighty years I've never heard Yeva speak to someone so sweetly." Merlin quipped. 

Yeva shot daggers from her eyes at him, she carried over a cup of water and her earhorn. 

"Drink this then I want to have a listen to baby and when I am finished you are to go back to sleep and rest. There will be plenty of time to discuss things tomorrow especially once we can get you settled and more comfortable in your room." she told Lancelot sternly.

He laid back down and let Yeva feel around his tender skin, he looked past her to see Merlin's shocked face. Lancelot shifted uncomfortably Yeva noticing turned around and hissed at Merlin, "A little privacy if you don't mind." 

Blushing Merlin turned his head. Yeva found the baby's heart beat and let Lancelot listen this time, "She's really okay." he breathed.

"You will still need to take it very easy and be on bed rest only for a few weeks but I think she's going to be fine. Also there will be no more minding the horses, riding or working with the weapons Lancelot. Given your previous loss and all the stress you have endured I just want to make sure this baby is as safe and healthy as I can ensure, so please don't argue." she said with an air of finality.

"I wont argue." he said. "Thinking I was going to lose her today is the most scared I have been in my whole life and I will do anything to keep her safe." Lancelot said wrapping his arms around his middle.

Yeva gave him an approving nod before pulling the young man into a hug "I want nothing more than to deliver her into your arms safely Lancelot." She said into his hair, now go to sleep and I will check on you both in the morning."

Yeva got up and walked over to her bed pulling down the blankets and pelts before sitting down and pulling off her boots.

"Are you really not going to explain all of this." Merlin half whispered waving an arm in Lancelot's direction.

"No I'm not, not today Merlin. Rest now while you can." she said laying down and turning her back to him.


	16. An Oracle

The sounds of whispering woke Lancelot, sometimes he really believed they all forgot about his gift of heightened senses, he could smell Nimue while he was sleeping her sweet scent drifting through his dreams. He rolled on to his back and stretched, his stomach muscles and back were still store but he felt much better, he sat up and scanned the room. Spotting Nimue, Yeva and Merlin hunched over Yeva's small work table Lancelot cleared his throat.

"Good morning everyone." he said lazily.

They all turned to face him then Nimue was at his side in an instant.

"How are you feeling?" she asked looking pale and tired, taking one of his hands into her small warm ones.

"A bit achy but okay." he said looking into her eyes pulling her closer.

"And what of yourself Nimue? How are you feeling?" he asked her quietly.

"I'm feeling like an arse, I should never have left you behind like that I'm so sorry Lancelot." she said as she looked away from him.

He raised his free hand to her face and turned her back to him "Don't you dare blame yourself, I knew better and I still put myself and the baby in danger all for what? A thrill to end my boredom I was a fool.” He said disgusted with himself.

”Now, now everyone is alright and that is all that matters.” Yeva said approaching them.   
  


“Lancelot I’m going to give you a quick exam and then we have a few things to discuss.” She continued grievously.

After his exam Yeva pulled him gently to his feet so she could see the ugly purple bruise on his back. She tutted as she poked and prodded around it, pulling his tunic back down she told him to sit and brought a tray of sweet bread and tea to place beside him.   
  


“So Lancelot as I’m sure you overheard last night Merlin had a vision about what I believe is your baby. Now Merlin’s gifts had been stripped from him when Lenore removed the sword from his body an-“ 

“That is not to say I do not possess other talents in the magical arts.” Merlin interrupted her. 

With a poisonous look Yeva continued “The point being that the vision was so powerful it broke through the magic barrier in Merlin’s mind, things are changing here and with no reliable way to recall Merlin’s full vision for examination I have had another idea.”

"Here in Nemos we have fey from all walks of life with various talents and forms of magic. And one very special fey in particular, she is an Oracle of the Hecate tribe. One of the last of her kind much like yourself.”

She finished with a look at Nimue. 

“So what we are asking Lancelot is if you are comfortable with us bringing her here to see if she can use her gifts to learn more about Merlin’s vision.” Nimue said tentatively. 

He thought on it for a moment, it made him anxious thinking about other people being aware of his condition but on the other hand it’s not like he could hide it forever. 

“Well if it will be of some help I suppose it’s alright.” he said before taking a sip of tea. 

* * *

After Yeva had assured Lancelot was well fed and steady on his feet the small group moved back to his bedroom where Percival was anxiously waiting. On the short walk they informed him of their plan, Gawain was the one who remembered that the oracle was in Nemos it was he who had rescued her and brought her here. She wasn't very trustful and chose to make her own small dwelling outside of Nemos. Oracles were infamous seers and apparently the Hecate tribe was one of the oldest in our world.

When they made it to his quarters Lancelot was aching to sit down, the bruises on his back were humming with pain. Yeva noticed and gestured with a nod of her head for him to take a seat on the bed. Percival walked over from his side of the room and plopped down next to him.

"I was so scared for you yesterday." Percival said looking down at his boots.

"So was I, but we are okay." Lancelot told him while running a hand down his belly. "I am going to be taking it easier from here on out so I don't make anyone worry like that ever again."

"You'd better not or when little one comes I'll take a boot to your arse." the boy said nudging Lancelot with his shoulder. 

"I promise Percival." Lancelot said with a smile draping one of his long arms over the boys shoulders, he could see that Percival's eyes were puffy and lined with red. He could only imagine how scared he must have been of losing another person, he had lost so much already.

Lancelot was anxious to meet the oracle, it would seem things surprised him less and less these days but it didn't make him any less hesitant. He had the deluded hope that the vision was not of his child that it was a mistake but the grim look in Yeva's eyes didn't reassure him.

It felt like it had been hours when Gawain had finally appeared in his doorway, behind him a small figure. Lancelot was shocked to see a young girl no older than thirteen, he felt Percival stiffen beside him straightening out his jacket and standing to smooth his trousers. 

"Hello everyone, this is my friend Freyja she has kindly agreed to help us." Gawain said smiling down at her, placing a hand on her small shoulder.

The girl smiled shyly, she was petite her skin tan and pearlescent as if she was glowing from within. Her hair was shimmering white waist length and hung in a braid down her back, she wore a simple belted mauve shift and grey pelt coat. Most likely rabbit pelts Lancelot observed to himself.

She turned to Gawain and stood on her toes to whisper something to him. "Freyja needs a bit of space to work so some of us will need to leave for a little while." Gawain said looking over to Percival who's shoulders slumped. He stood and walked towards the door making sure to throw back his shoulders to extend his height when he passed Freyja. And after some bickering between Merlin and Nimue Yeva lead Merlin out of the room. Leaving just Nimue, Lancelot, Gawain and Freyja. 

Freyja walked cautiously over to Lancelot who still sat on the bed.

"Lancelot I presume." she said in a voice light as a feather. 

"Yes, thank you so much for coming to help us." he said.

"Please lie down." she asked pulling a small leather pouch from inside her coat.

He swung his legs up onto the bed and laid on his back with a wince, Nimue went to rush towards him but Gawain held her back assuring that she didn't enter Freyja's workspace. Freyja then took four white crystals out of the leather pouch, placing one in each of his upturned palms, one over his heart and one on his belly. Lancelot noticed she had eyes like small shimmering opals and her touch was light and warm.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked him sweetly.

"Yes." he said.

"Very good, now I need you to stay very still in the beginning but once the stones rise you can relax." Freyja instructed. 

Lancelot nodded and looked up towards the ceiling as Freyja held her hands up over him and began to chant.

"Proturum, Visua, Futura. Proturum, Visua, Futura. Proturum, Visua, Futura." she said over and over louder and louder as she went.

Lancelot could feel the crystals warming in his palms, they began to illuminate the small room as they rose above him coming together to form one beam of light that shot right into Freyja. She stopped chanting the moment the light hit her chest and it was as if the light was going into her chest and coming out of her eyes, her feet hovering above ground.

They were all mesmerized at the sight of her. After a minute or so the light began to dim and Freyja's feet slowly came down to meet the earth, she rolled her shoulders and blinked before letting out a slow breath. She collected the crystals and extended a small hand to Lancelot so he could sit up.

"What did you see?" Nimue urged. 

"Give the girl a moment to collect herself Nimue." Gawain said.

Freyja took a seat next to Lancelot, "I saw quite a few things, many of them still cloudy and undecided. So your actions from here on must be chosen very wisely." She said looking strained and uncomfortable.

She looked to Gawain first "There is an attack coming, we have time to strategize but the one called Wicklow is cunning and will know our location soon. This will lead to a war and no matter what path you take Lancelot will end up in the middle of it. The child must be born, she is the symbol of your victory the hope that will burn itself into the hearts of your men. Solstice children are always beloved and powerful and even rarer to have one human parent. She will come to lead us one day the unity of fey and man in one being. There will be another great leader before her they are among us here in Nemos to hold her throne until she is of age." Freyja finished. 

"Well that must be Nimue, she is after all our fey queen master of the kings blade." Gawain said.

"It was not made clear to me." Freyja said solemnly before turning to Lancelot and taking his hands in her own "She will be a beauty Lancelot and she will have all the very best parts of you." she said smiling.

Tears began to well in his eyes, it was all too much. Why did it have to be his child to carry such a burden and on top of this he would be pulled into a battle in his state. The fear for his child choked him. To his surprise Freyja wrapped her thin arms around him "It is not punishment Lancelot it is as its meant to be, she will live and be beloved I can feel it."

After many thank yous and Freyja declining Gawain's offer to walk her back to her home Freyja finally made it out into the fresh air outside of Nemos wondering if she had made a mistake. A mistake by leaving out the part of her vision where Nimue was dead and Arthur took place as king to rule in wait of the queen babe. Somethings just could not be known.


	17. Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a long Hiatus, My passion for this story has lessened but I still believe it deserves to be finished. I hope that there is still a interest and that you will let me know things you would want me to include. I hope to hear from some of you soon.

The three of them sat on the bed in Frejya's wake for a long moment before Nimue spoke. "Gawain would you mind to leave us for a moment and inform the others of what Frejya saw?"

He looked to Lancelot before standing and taking her hand and saying "of course." bringing her hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles lightly. He surprised Lancelot by turning to him also placing a soft kiss onto the top of his head. It made Lancelot blush intensely. Once Gawain had left the room Nimue turned to face him and took both his hands in hers.

"Lancelot, I am so sorry that I kissed you and then avoided you. I have wasted precious time acting a fool I was just so happy for you and how far youv-"

But she didn't get a chance to finish before Lancelot had let go of her hands and taken hold of her face crashing his lips onto hers, she tangled her fingers in his hair deepening the kiss. When they finally pulled apart they were both flushed and gasping.

"I think, I think that makes us even?" Lancelot said catching his breath.

"Aye, I think it does. I would very much like to do it again Lancelot and if your comfortable, Gawain is feeling a little left out." she said with a wicked grin.

Lancelot if possible got even redder.

"You deserve so much love Lancelot and we want to give it to you. All of us, we are a family now we will protect you and the baby, she will never know anything but love in her life if I have anything to do with it." Nimue said tears welling in her eyes.

Lancelot didn't know how to express the overwhelming sense of love and safety that he felt, so he pulled her into another kiss and hoped the embrace could convey it for him.


	18. Changes

Over the next few weeks things began to change, Arthur and Gawain began recruiting more fey to fight and surprisingly some humans that had fey spouses too. Lancelot had kept to his word and was taking it easy. Eager to still be of any help he had taken to helping Yeva with a lot of her prep work for drams, salves and other things since it gave her more time to work on Morgana and Pym's training, they were to become the emergency healers and one of them would go out onto the battlefield with the others. Nimue, Percival and Gawain had resumed their nightly dinners with Lancelot when they could, after Percival was well asleep the others took short walks in the evening. It was something Lancelot still struggled believing was real, after all he had done and suffered in his life he had been given a second chance and not one but two people that wanted to love him. Aside from chaste kisses, hand holding and lying in bed together Lancelot was absolutely terrified of the physical intimacy he knew would eventually come.

Especially given that he was not most nimble in his current state, it was just yesterday morning he stood from bed to realize his tunic no longer covered the underside of his belly. Since the morning sickness had finally let up aside from a few triggering smells, his appetite had returned and his belly with all certainty had popped. Yeva was extremely pleased when she had come in for his check up.

"Finally little lass is making herself known." she said with a smile giving his belly a little pat.

"What am I to do for clothes? How much bigger will I get?" Lancelot asked.

"Well I'm sure I can locate something for the time being but I will tell Gawain what fabric to bring back on the next supply run, their are some very skilled weavers here who could make you something. For how big you will get, that is for the babe to decide remember Lancelot you are only just twenty weeks for all we know you could double in size before she comes. Not to mention you will more than likely be over due." she said casually. Looking back at Lancelot she noticed the look of horror on his face and chuckled.

"Ease your mind dear, your body is perfectly capable of accommodating the little ones growth of course towards the end it will be uncomfortable but you have faced far worse." she said in a comforting tone. 

Lancelot reclined back on the bed and let Yeva perform his exam, he was beginning to get uncomfortable when she pulled his tunic as far down as it would allow and extended a hand to help him sit up. She proceeded to listen at his upper back and chest with her ear horn. 

"All seems right as rain, I did notice your breathing is a bit labored while lying on your back but that's to be expected, just be sure to try and sleep on your side preferably the left as it provides the best blood flow to the baby." she said beginning to pack away her things. "I will need your assistance later, Pym and Percival brought back a few baskets of mushrooms and herbs that will need sorting. Make sure you wear your cloak and keep it fastened when traveling to my quarters I should be able to find something for you to wear by this evening."

"Alright then." he said before the color drained from his face and his hands shot up to the side of his belly. "Yeva! she moved, she moved!" he shouted a grin cracked his face from ear to ear. 

Yeva smiled she had never seen the young man so happy in his time at Nemos. Percival came in then holding a letter, Lancelot gestured him over to the bed and told him to sit down. "Percival give me your hand." The young boy extended the hand with the letter "no the other one." Lancelot said urgently taking his hand and placing it on the side of his belly where the baby had moved just moments before after what felt like forever Lancelot felt her move almost as if she were taking a good long stretch he looked over at Percival who matched the ecstatic grin on his own face.

“That’s really her? She’s moving!” He half whispered as if he believed being to loud would distract the babe. 

“Yes, it’s really her isn’t it amazing.” He said still smiling. 

They sat like that together for a while even after Yeva had left to tend others all the while Percival had changed tactics, now talking to his belly directly telling her of all the things they would do and what he would teach her when she arrived in hopes of enticing her to move. Lancelot couldn’t wait to see them together, he loved Percival like a son and could think of no one better to be a big brother to his daughter.


	19. Entwined

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to heat up between our dear Lancelot, Gawain and Nimue. Feelings are running high with the impending threat to Nemos growing closer.

Lancelot was sitting in Yeva's quarters at the stone table sorting through all the herbs and such that she needed put away. His back was beginning to ache from the hard stool when he heard footsteps approaching the cavernous room. He relaxed when he saw it was Nimue,

"Squirrel said I'd find you here." she said with a wide grin, she was holding something made of a gauzy material draped over her arm. "I heard you were in need of something a little roomier for the time being.'' she said holding up the shirt "its a bit thin but it will do the job if you wear your cloak with it until Gawain can return with some fabric."   
  


"Thank you, would you mind helping me up so I can put it on?" he said bashfully looking up at her.

"Of course my love." she said draping the shirt back over her arm and extending both her hands out to pull him up.

Lancelot stood stiffly with her help and removed his cloak. "my, my Yeva wasn't joking when she said the little princess was making her grand appearance." Nimue said playfully giving the exposed underside of his belly a rub. Lancelot leaned into her touch and gave a little moan, he never knew how good the touch of another person could feel before he met her. She helped him out of his old shirt and into the much larger one, he pulled her into a hug and rested his chin atop her head as she rubbed his back and sighed. 

"Lancelot, are you tired dear?" she questioned looking up at him.

"Yes a bit, my back is sore from sitting." he admitted sheepishly. 

"Well I'll help you put this all away then you can go rest in my bed before dinner, its so much quieter than off the common area. I really wish you'd consider coming to stay in our quarters." she pestered as she began putting the lids on jars and putting the excess herbs back into the baskets. 

"I don't think Percival is ready to be in a room on his own especially one on the other side of camp." Lancelot said firmly 

After they finished they walked together to Nimue's and Gawain's room. Passing other fey Lancelot pulled the front of his cloak closed and kept his eyes on Nimue, Many fey in Nemos had become accustomed to his presence but there were still few that showed their displeasure and his being given sanctuary. Just last week Lancelot was walking with Arthur only to have a ram headed fey spit at his feet, Arthur took it worse that Lancelot did and it took Lancelot shouting to get Arthur to unpin the ram from the wall. After that Nimue had made an announcement that aggression of any kind directed to any fey that called Nemos home would not be tolerated.

When they reached the room Nimue helped him out of his cloak and placed a kiss between his shoulder blades. Lancelot eased himself on to the bed untying his trousers and smiled up at her.

"Where is Gawain?" he asked.

"Out preparing the horses for tomorrow. He, Arthur and a few others will be making a supply run. Arthur and Gawain will remain out while the others return with the supplies for a week or so." she said a flash of worry crossing her face.

"Why so long? They just returned from a scouting trip four days ago?" he questioned.

"They are searching for a place we may call our new home, there have been more and more sightings of trinity guards at our perimeter and we have to face the facts that they know we are here and they are waiting to strike." she said sitting on the bed beside him.

"The trouble of it is we need to move everyone at once, and not all of these people are fighters. The Elders and children will have a hard time on a long journey to get to a place that's safe and far away enough for them to live in peace. Arthur has found an abandoned village with passage into the mountain beyond the red lake. There is great coverage there but its a nonstop five day journey with trinity guards on our heels." she sighed.

"Well what if we could shorten the time it would take to get there. We have red spear and her men, if we could make it to Gramaire and get our hands on some boats that would reduce the trip by two days." He suggested laying down.

"That would be incredibly risky we would have to send a flank of our soldiers ahead just to guarantee there are boats even to take, but its a idea I will mention it to Gawain tonight." she said looking hopeful and pulled the sheepskin blanket up to his chin. "Now you get some rest and I will see you at dinner." she got up and pulled the door closed behind her. 

Lancelot slept and dreamt of Nimue and Gawain and their soft gentle touches and stolen kisses he was feeling very warm when a rough cool hand grazed his cheek. He opened his eyes and it was Gawain standing beside him.

"Its about time you woke up my dear you've slept through dinner, Nimue came in before but just didn't have the heart to wake you." he said softly.

"He was so tired and he had a sore back. You just looked so peaceful Lancelot." Nimue said entering the room and sitting at the foot of the bed. 

"Its alright, I feel good." Lancelot said sitting up and turning his legs over the side of the bed.

"Well it certainly looks like you feel good." Gawain said playfully looking down at Lancelot's crotch.

Lancelot looked down and was embarrassed to see he was fully erect, his cock clearly visible through the thin shirt hugging the underside of his belly. He quickly pulled the blanket into his lap his face burning red.

"I'm, I'm sorry." he said shamefully looking for where he had tossed his trousers.

"Don't you dare be sorry, it's perfectly natural and frankly quite attractive Nimue said coyly. She got off the bed and dropped to her knees in front of him placing a hand on each of his thighs. "If you're comfortable Lancelot I can help relieve you if you'd like." she said with a twinkle in her blue eyes. 

Gawain came to sit beside him and his neck felt hot, he looked back down at Nimue and said "yes, please." 

She nodded with a smile and pulled the blankets off his lap and rolled the tunic up over his belly, she began to kiss him. Starting at the top of his belly and down over his taught belly button he leaned back into Gawain and moaned as she moved down to his thighs before taking his full length into her mouth. Gawain began to kiss him and nibble his ear as Nimue worked his cock, her eyes glinting mischievously as she would quicken her pace then slow to tease him. It continued in this pattern of pleasure until Lancelot was begging them for release. Nimue and Gawain looked at each other and Gawain moved his mouth to Lancelot's nipple and Nimue quickened her pace flicking her tongue over the tip of him until he cried out in pleasure.

Panting Lancelot leaned back in the bed flushed and smiling. 

Nimue stood and laid next to him placing a hand on his belly and Gawain placing his hand on top of hers.

"I never knew it could feel so good." Lancelot said breathily.

"Lancelot that was just a taste of how good lovemaking can be when your with the right person or should I say persons." Gawain said with a smile.

They laid like that for awhile entwined in one another before Nimue sent Gawain to bring a bath for Lancelot while she went to fetch him something to eat. He will never know how he came to be so lucky, to be so loved.


End file.
